Shining Like Diamonds
by Celes Chere
Summary: When Rosa Farrel was 14, her life started to fall apart with the death of her father. But when Cecil, a dark knight, arrives...Rosa's world, and her emotions are shaken once more. But is their love doomed by fate because of Cecil's royal obligations?
1. The Girl and the Cloak

Shining Like Diamonds  
  
An FF4 Fanfiction  
  
By: Celes Chere  
  
Author's Note: Ok, well, you obviously know what this is about if you read the summary, eh? Heh heh ^^;; Well, it has been a long time since I have written or finished any of my stories. Bad me... But I can't help it, being a sophomore is scary and stressful! *sob sob* But of course, I am also a single sophomore, therefore, I have a lot of free time on my hands to dream up romantic fanfics about my fav couples, rather then be in a real-life romance of my own. *moooooooan* Well, I'd like to THINK I am in one... but the people who know who I am talking about will probably say "Celes, you are being rigoddamndiculous." ^^;;; Ack, how did I get on the subject of my love life? Ahh, who cares, this is a romance fanfic anyway, so I gotta set the mood! *lights candles and incense* Oooooooooo!  
  
I have tried like, one romance before and actually completed it, and it was a looooooong one, so long I almost quit. But then I realized OMG, quit on Locke and Celes? NO WAY! And so I finished As Pure As Snow. Didja read it, huh? Well, if you didn't, damnit, what are you waiting for? Oh...you want to start THIS story? And you want me to shut up? Oh....ok. ^^;;;;; But what I was going to say was that this story will probably be a lot like my other one...it will sort of jerk the characters around a bit before settling them into nice and happy lives. ^____^ I really do love torturing my characters, I do it because I care for them!!! (Oh yeah, I do not own anything when it comes to FF4....rather, I am borrowing the chars and the locations and all that... hee hee...that was a disclaimer. ) Um, ok, so I guess I should actually write this now! Oh yeah, and I will put it up chapter by chapter... so reviews are recommended so that I can have the strength to go on!! *squeal*  
  
Shining Like Diamonds  
  
Chapter One: The Girl and the Cloak  
  
"Rosa! Rosa! Time to get up dear!" A young woman's voice carried its way through the open doorway of a small bedroom, within a decent-sized brick house, which was set inside the small but well-populated town of Baron. While this house appeared to be much like the other homes in Baron on the outside, one on the inside of the house might notice the beautiful gold-plated family crest of arms located right in the parlor hall that hinted that the family contained within its walls was of noble descent. Other signs that attributed to this was the expensive, shining cherry wood oak furniture, the delicate glass figurines and crystal vases that decorated each room, and the elegant, well-kept fireplace in the parlor that was not used for cooking, but rather, for show, which was rare in this day of age.  
  
The owners of this home were none other then Sir Lawerence of the Baronian military and Lady Alexia, his wife. Lady Alexia had been a powerful white mage in her youth, and met her husband during a raid in Baron that had almost crippled the kingdom many, many years ago. He had been injured, and as a white mage, it was her duty to serve the wounded in war. When they met, it had become love at first sight. When Lawerence was well again, Alexia joined his side in battle and fought bravely with him until the war had ended and Baron had won. After being generously rewarded by King Baron for his battles, Lawerence asked Alexia to marry him, and she said yes. It was a year later that their daughter Rosa was born...marking only the beginning of many changes in that household...  
  
"Rosa!" Alexia called again, in a much more impatient tone then last time. She was about to march over to Rosa's room in a very un-ladylike manner when like a ghost, Rosa appeared in her doorway and smiled brightly.  
  
"Good morning, Mother!" Rosa said in a very polite but endearing tone. Her mother sighed and shook her head, putting her hands on her hips.  
  
"Rosa, did you all of a sudden forget that you have archery lessons at the palace at seven every morning??" Alexia demanded, but Rosa simply let out a yawn and stretched, her lacy white nightgown gently lifting up for a moment to reveal her pink slippers.  
  
"Mother, did you forget that my lessons were cancelled for today?" Rosa asked in a sweet tone, and Alexia stopped frowning immediately, her face going into the same thoughtful look Rosa would get when thinking hard. At last, she came to the conclusion her daughter was right, and sighed, bringing a hand to her forehead.  
  
"I'm sorry dear." Alexia said, and sighed. "I guess I wasn't paying much attention to you last night when you told me. Forgive me."  
  
"It's alright Mother..." Rosa trailed off, her smile slowly disappearing as she walked over and embraced Alexia gently. Alexia wrapped her arms around the 14 year old girl and leaned her head on hers. Rosa gasped a little when she thought she heard her mother sniffle, but she didn't say anything. She wasn't surprised really...her mother was still mourning the death of her brave father, who had been killed in a recent battle for his royal highness, King Baron. He had died over a month ago... and while Rosa was far from being finished with her own mourning, archery and magic lessons occupied most of her life and kept her from thinking about it too much. But her mother had nothing...she instead stayed at home all day and either cried or looked over her lost husband's war garments and medals. Rosa knew that working hard cheered her mother up, so she was striving to succeed in her lessons now more then ever before. Alexia pulled away finally and put a small smile back on her face. There were no traces of tears in her big brown eyes, which gazed into Rosa's.  
  
It's like looking into a mirror of my youth... Alexia mused silently as she looked Rosa over. Just like when she was 14, Rosa was a bit short for her age, but had sparkling brown eyes and long, golden blonde hair that tumbled over her shoulders in natural waves. Her face was a soft peaches and cream complexion, and her arms were toned with small muscles that were gained from training in archery since the age of 6. Rosa could also use white magic, but for some reason, she knew a lot less then Alexia had when she was younger. However, now, differences had begun to emerge between the two. Alexia's hair was tinting to more of a light-red color since her sun highlights had been fading, and she lacked the youthful glow and elegance that surrounded Rosa's every step. She had never been much for ettiquite, but Rosa adapted to it well, since she took her lessons at the Baron Palace.  
  
"Mother?" Rosa asked, blinking. Alexia smiled and ruffled Rosa's hair, which surprised her.  
  
"I need you to do me a favor." Alexia said. "I need you to go to the palace today...I was told they have more of your father's things...but I would rather not make myself up just to go to the palace and see the king. Do you think you could go for me dear...?" Rosa nodded and smiled. She loved going to the palace! It was like a second home to her now.  
  
"I shall!" Rosa smiled, and ran back into her room, slamming the door so that she could change. Alexia smiled and giggled to herself as she turned herself and retreated into the kitchen to make Rosa a quick breakfast.  
  
Rosa rumaged through her wardrobe and made a face at the sight of all her frilly dresses that she was supposed to wear today since she had no archery lesson.  
  
"Oh Mother!" Rosa sighed as she smiled to herself. "The things I will do just to please you..." Rosa found it quite amusing that her mother thought of her as a young lady rather then the tomboy she was at heart. After all, what sort of a lady could shoot an apple off a commoner's head from a 3 yard distance? Rosa decided to strap on her archery outfit anyway, a cute pink leotard with white straps and a matching white cape. To hide it on her way out, she pulled a pink dress over it and tied a ribbon around her neck that would serve as a hair tie once she was out the door. Rosa quickly finished by pulling on her brown lace-up boots and pulled the hood of her cape up over her face as she exited her bedroom.  
  
"Rosa, what are you doing?" Alexia asked just as Rosa was about to turn the knob of the door. "It's hot as hades out there, and you are wearing a cape???" Rosa gulped.  
  
"Uh...oh, well, this isn't mine!" Rosa squeaked, and laughed nervously. "It belonged to...a lady instructor whose chamber was quite cold yesterday. Didn't you notice that I took it home with me by accident?" Before Alexia could continue, Rosa went on. "Yes, well, anyway, don't you think it would be...rather common of me if I didn't return it as soon as possible?" Alexia smiled and shrugged.  
  
"Whatever you wish dear." She said, and kissed Rosa on the forehead. "Be careful, and come straight home."  
  
"Of course." Rosa smiled, and bolted out the door. Alexia blinked.  
  
"She didn't even want breakfast." She mused.  
  
When Rosa looked back, she could see that her mother had already disappeared from the front window. Rosa fanned herself with her hand as she ran across the street to the Baron General Store and burst in on the elderly owner, Mr. Berswick.  
  
"Rosa!" He exclaimed, surprised. "What on Earth brings you here dear? Arn't you supposed to be at lessons?"  
  
"They were cancelled, but I need to go to the palace anyway." Rosa said. With a quick yank, she tugged off her pink dress and dropped it on the floor, adjusting her crumpled cape underneath. Mr. Berswick just blinked and rubbed his eyes, making sure Rosa had not just, well... gone nude. Relieved to see she was wearing her normal outfit underneath, he wiped his sweaty brow and guessed what was going to come next.  
  
"Will you watch my stuff until I come back?" Rosa asked as she scooped her dress up in her arms. "I just hate these gowns, but mother..."  
  
"I understand, don't worry!" Mr. Berswick said, and laughed as he took the dress and hid it behind the counter. "Just don't scare me like that again!"  
  
"Huh?" Rosa asked, not understanding. But she shrugged it off and quickly tied her hair up into a ponytail before grabbing a freshly-polished pot to examen her reflection. Satisfied, she smiled and waved to Mr. Berswick before running out of his store and down the long road that would lead right to the palace.  
  
"Oh, what a beautiful day!" Rosa sang out loud as she looked up into the cerulean blue sky. She loved the way the soft summer wind felt against her legs and face, which were no longer hidden by a long gown and long hair, respectively. Suddenly, a neighbor of Rosa's waved to her as she ran by. Rosa squeaked in surprise and turned to wave back, but suddenly, a sharp gust of wind blew by, flipping her cape hood up and over her eyes. Rosa let out a sharp scream when her body suddenly rammed into something hard, knocking her to her rear and knocking the breath out of her. She moaned as she kept her eyes closed for a moment, only focusing on breathing in and out, in and out... but was brought back to the world of the living when a deep voice asked, "Hey...are you ok lady?" Rosa looked up and blinked in surprise.  
  
That something she had rammed into had actually been a person, no, a boy about her age. He was tall and had a small frame, but was built up nicely. Not too strong, but not as weak as some of the other boys she knew. He had soft, very light blonde hair, almost white, and piercing blue eyes that seemed to focus only on her. He was wearing a black, tight mucle shirt that looked more like a man's bed clothes with his pants, that looked as if they were apart of the Baronian army's uniform.  
  
"I asked if you were ok." The boy said again, not offering a hand to help her up. Rosa nodded slowly and got up on her own, which took the boy by surprise. He had expected her to break out crying or worse, turn him in to someone even though she had been the one to smash into him...  
  
"Thank you, I'm fine." Rosa finally said, gaining her voice. "It was my fault, please forgive me!" The boy simply shrugged and stuck his hands in his pockets.  
  
"Well alright then." He said. "If you'll excuse me, I have to find my friend and then get to the palace...I'm sort of in a hurry."  
  
"Oh, I'm going to the palace too!" Rosa smiled. "Would you like to go together? I'll tell whoever you need to see that you were late because of me! Everyone knows me there, so you should be ok!" The boy blinked and let out a slight moan. Girls...maybe this one was just like every other one he knew. Annoying.  
  
"Whatever floats your boat." The boy said, "but you'll have to catch up to me, I'm not slowing down for you to do your hair or whatever."  
  
"Oh, who cares about that?" Rosa smiled. "Anyway, you should know my name! I'm Rosa Ferrel! What's yours??" The boy looked her up and down again for a moment and finally pulled a hand out of his pocket, holding it out to Rosa, which surprised her. She noticed a silver band around his ring finger.  
  
"I'm Cecil."  
  
  
  
Ack, well, that's it for now. ^^;;; Sorry that chapter was so short, but I promise to do more supa-soon! *squeal* Please leave a review!! Please?? ^_^ 


	2. The Boy and the Waterway

Chapter Two: The Boy and the Waterway  
  
"Cecil?" Rosa repeated, and he nodded. Rosa said the name again, liking the way it felt so natural on her lips, and finally took Cecil's hand, giving it a good, firm handshake. Cecil laughed a little and pulled back.  
  
"I didn't expect that sort of grip." He admitted. "Actually, now that I realize, I should have bowed or somethin'....uhh..." He trailed off, looking slightly frustrated. Rosa laughed and shook her head.  
  
"Listen, you don't have to do any of that with me." She said. "I'm not a princess or anything...and even if I was, I wouldn't care! People should not worry about such trivial issues, huh?"  
  
"That's what I think." Cecil said, and slowly ran his hand through his shining hair. Rosa was surprised when she realized she was staring, and her face became quite red when his gaze returned to hers.  
  
What's wrong with me? Rosa wondered as she placed a hand on her own burning cheek. He's just like every other guy I have ever met...Although...none of the guys I know have blue eyes like his...and a voice like his...and...  
  
"Rosa?"  
  
"Uh, yes?!" Rosa asked, blinking.  
  
"I told you I'm not going to be delayed all morning." Cecil snapped, his voice suddenly returning to the stern demeanor it had when she had ran into him.  
  
"I'm sorry!" Rosa exclaimed. "Lead the way!" With that, Cecil took off in a steady sprint, and Rosa followed, easily being able to remain by his side. Her blonde ponytail was blown fiercly back by the wind, which was now stronger then before. She could feel the rhythm of her heartbeat grow stronger with each second longer she took examening Cecil's profile, and she knew it wasn't just from running fast. Suddenly, Rosa felt the tight tug of her ponytail release, and her long blonde hair spilled all over her shoulders as her weakly-tied ribbon flew off behind her. Rosa made a slight noise of surprise and tried to look back to find where it blew to, but the ribbon had disappeared. She let out a slight moan of disappointment, and Cecil turned to look at her.  
  
"I know, I know, no stopping." Rosa said just as he was about to open his mouth to speak. She tried to make herself laugh by thinking what a coincidence it was that Cecil had warned her about her hair and that someting had actually happened, but she couldn't. That ribbon had been a gift from her father...Cecil could sense the sadness is Rosa's eyes, even though he didn't know what the big deal was over a silly ribbon. However, he didn't have time to think about it, for he heard someone call out his name.  
  
"Cecil! I'm over here, sorry I'm late!" Cecil stopped, and Rosa promptly did as well, her heals bringing up dust in the empty road. She pushed her hair out of her eyes and blinked when she saw who was coming. This boy was a few inches taller then Cecil, and his hair was a bit longer and a sunny gold color that was only outdone by his emerald green eyes. His outfit was nearly identical to Cecil's, except that instead of blue pants, his were green and lazily kept up by a leather belt with a large silver buckle with a dragon encrusted on it. He looked at Cecil for a moment and then to Rosa, his eyes lighting up at her. Rosa blushed even more then she had been before. This boy was nearly as handsome as Cecil! She couldn't believe she was even thinking about that though. Why did she have to go out again? Oh yes, to retrieve her father's belongings from the king... So why was she following Cecil? That's right, she was going to bail him out if he needed an excuse for being late. Rosa smacked her forehead. She had suddenly become a major ditz, something she did not find attractive in a young woman such as herself or in anyone else, for that matter.  
  
"Who's this?" The boy asked, smiling softly at Rosa. Rosa lifted her hand from her forehead and Cecil rolled his eyes.  
  
"That's Rosa....umm....Ferrel?" Rosa nodded and Cecil put his hands on his hips. "She ran into me on the street and told me she he would help get us out of trouble for being late." The boy nodded and smiled more.  
  
"Excellent! I can't believe I got lost in Baron... it's really been a while since we've been back here, huh Cecil?"  
  
"Yep." Cecil said, and sighed a little, running his fingers through his hair. "It has been...almost too long, Kain. Anyway, we had better get going, huh?"  
  
"You are Kain?" Rosa interrupted. Cecil and Kain...  
  
"That's my name!" Kain said. "Not as pretty as Rosa, but I deal." Rosa turned even redder and heard Cecil snort.  
  
"Kain..." Cecil said between clenched teeth.  
  
"Oh right, we really do need to go." Kain said. "Follow me, I know a shortcut to the castle from here."  
  
"You do?" Rosa questioned. "I have been living in Baron my entire life, and..."  
  
"So have we!" Kain grinned. "I'm surprised we have never met." Rosa was surprised also, and she pressed her lips together in thought. It didn't occur to her until now that these two really were total strangers to her...and that what she was doing could be dangerous.  
  
Wonderful!!! Rosa thought, and grinned. I've been dying for a good adventure! She smiled to herself as she began to follow both Cecil and Kain through a small alleyway between two homes. That was why she had wanted to follow Cecil so badly... her internal desire for an adventure! How silly it was of her to think that it could have been because of something else...  
  
The group emerged from the alleyway, and Rosa was surprised to find themselves at the edge of town, where only a waterway divided the town of Baron from the plains that the castle was set in. Rosa noticed that the water's current was fairly strong today, and could easily drag a person along in it's depths. Kain easily leaped over the waterway with amazing height and grace, making Rosa's jaw drop. Cecil looked to her.  
  
"Don't look so surprised." Cecil said. "He's been a Dragoon Knight ever since we were entered secondary school, and he's good at it." Rosa gasped.  
  
"A Dragoon Knight since that age?"  
  
"Of course. If you don't start when you're young, you won't get anywhere as an adult, for whatever it is that you want to do." Cecil said, as if he had recited it from memory. With that, he took a leap himself, and also easily landed on the other side of the water, although not as gracefully as Kain. Rosa hesitated.  
  
"And what is it that you want to do?" Rosa asked.  
  
"I'm going to become a Dark Knight, of course." Cecil said. The words sent a shiver down Rosa's spine. A Dark Knight... she had heard her mother speak of that before. Had her father been a Dark Knight? Rosa found that she couldn't remember what his position in the military was exactly. She would have to ask her mother, or rather, the King later.  
  
"Are you coming, Rosa?" Kain asked. She nodded and took a deep breath, taking the leap. However, once Rosa was in the air, she felt the dread instinct dead on that her jump would be too short. She would either fall very short and possibly drown in the waterway, or worse, fall a little short and hit her head on the road on the opposite side!  
  
"Ahhhh!" Rosa screamed, and clenched her eyes shut, not being able to bear to look. However, she heard a small splash, and a second later, she landed forcefully into someone's arms and felt her rear get just a bit wet. When she opened her eyes, she was met with Cecil's, and she found herself being held safely in his arms, right above the water, while he was completely soaked from the waist down. Rosa instinctively wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder as she took a deep breath. Her heart was beating so strongly, she was almost sure Cecil could feel it too.  
  
"....Thank you....!" Rosa whispered, and closed her eyes. She had been seeing spots of light from the shock of falling. Cecil didn't say anything, but turned to get out of the water instead. Rosa looked up and saw Kain, who had quite the relieved look on his face.  
  
"Whoa, I'm so glad Cecil got to you in time!" Kain cried, and smiled. "Because chasing you down the waterway would just be a pain in the butt, huh?" Rosa smiled back and giggled a little. Rosa looked to Cecil and was about to say thank you again, thinking he didn't hear her the first time, when she felt him squeaze her waist gently and set her down on the road before hauling himself out of the water.  
  
"Be careful next time." Cecil said, not looking at her. "Are you always as accident prone as you have been today?" He walked on ahead and joined Kain's side as Rosa pulled herself up and sighed, brushing off her leotard.  
  
No....no I'm not. Rosa thought, and bit her lower lip. I've never....felt like this before...  
  
The group managed to get to Baron Castle without further delay, but everyone looked like they had been in a storm with Levithan himself with the exception of Kain. Rosa's hair was everywhere, along with drips of water on her legs and behind, and Cecil was soaking wet and leaving a trail of water wherever he walked. They were greeted by the guards with a hint of disgust in their voices.  
  
"Lady Rosa, is that you?" One asked, and Rosa nodded tiredly.  
  
"Cecil, Kain, Cid has been waiting for you for ages!" The other guard scolded. "Go inside immediately and find him!"  
  
"Of course." Kain answered for all of them, and dragged Rosa and Cecil inside the palace. Rosa sighed and tried to pull her hair out of her face.  
  
"Who is Cid?" She asked. "Your father, perhaps?"  
  
"What?" Kain asked, and laughed. "Cecil and I arn't related."  
  
"Don't tell me you've never heard of Cid, the master engineer." Cecil said, and smirked.  
  
"That Cid?!" Rosa exclaimed excitedly. "Why, yes, I have seen him about the palace numerous times, but we have never spoken! You mean to tell me you are aquainted with him?"  
  
"Of course." Cecil said. "We're like sons to him. He's been one of our more closer guardians since we were adopted by King Baron when we were 2 and 3...."  
  
"Huh? Adopted by the king?!" Rosa cried. "Wait a minute, I'm confused...."  
  
"Cecil! Kain! Is that you? You've grown so much since I last saw you two trouble makers!" A loud voice boomed out in the palace entryway, and the group turned to see a large, hairy red-haired man approach them in a blue engineer's suit and huge goggles over his eyes. However, as he apporached them, he pushed the goggles up, revealing his clear blue eyes.  
  
"Cid!" Kain exclaimed excitedly.  
  
"Oy..." Rosa muttered, and put her hands on her hips. "They didn't need me after all!"  
  
"Cid..." Cecil trailed off, as Kain and Cid came over to them.  
  
"Well, I'm glad you didn't jump on me for a hug like you used to!" Cid joked, and slapped Cecil's back, nearly making him topple over. "You sure matured a lot too! Is that was three years of elite secondary education does for you? I oughta go there myself...har har har!!!!"  
  
Three years? Rosa thought. So that's why they haven't been in Baron. They've been away at school. If they are out, then Cecil and Kain must be around my age, because I just got out of secondary school too.  
  
"School was boring." Cecil said, and shook his head. "We couldn't wait to return to Baron for military training."  
  
"And it is also good to be home." Kain added. Cid nodded and pulled at a strand of wild hair. "Looks like the king was right about you two... you did a lot of growing up and you look stronger too. Cecil... did you return...to master the dark sword at last?"  
  
"....Yes." Cecil replied. "It was the King's orders, was it not?" Rosa did not like how serious Cecil had become. Apparently, Cid was disturbed by it as well, but it was also at this time that he finally noticed Rosa.  
  
"Hey, I've seen you around, haven't I girly?" He asked.  
  
"Yes, I'm a white wizard in training here and I also take archery lessons." Rosa explained. "I'm Rosa Ferrel."  
  
"Ferrel...? Why is that name so familiar?" Cid asked.  
  
"...My father, was......." Rosa trailed off. She suddenly couldn't say it. She reached up to touch her hair ribbon, but of course, it was not there.  
  
"....Oh...your father was Lawerence Ferrel, eh?" Cid asked, and Rosa nodded. He sighed a little and patted her on the head. "Sorry about your loss kiddo...I wouldn't have asked but..."  
  
"Lawerence Ferrel was your father?" Cecil asked, and took a new interest in Rosa. "He was a powerful Dark Knight! You never told me that!" So, Rosa's suspicions had been confirmed. Her father had indeed been a Dark Knight.  
  
"I didn't feel it was important to reveal." Rosa said a little snottily, bothered that Cecil was only chosing to talk to her so openly now. "At any rate, you now know, and I really need to be seeing King Baron, so if you'll excuse me..." Rosa did a quick bow and was about to turn around, when Kain grabbed her shoulder.  
  
"Hey, I don't even get a good-bye?" Kain asked sweetly. Rosa smiled a little and raised her hand in the hair to wave.  
  
"I bid you and Cecil good-bye." Rosa said. "I gather that since we have been in the same town for 14 years without gatching a glimpse of each other up until today, it will be another 14 years until I see you again." She peered at Cecil for a moment before turning and exiting the room. As she did so, she could hear Cid's loud voice echo off the walls of the palace.  
  
"Now Cecil, you gotta explain to me why the heck your pants took a swim without the rest of you! And how did you meet that girl?"  
  
"....Oh, it's a long story..." Cecil said. "Just forget it."  
  
"Forget it...."  
  
"....Forget it....."  
  
Rosa made a slight face and slammed the door shut to the room behind her. Like she cared what Cecil had to say about her!  
  
  
  
Well, that's it for now ^^;;; Chapter 3 is already more then half-way done! 


	3. The Ribbon and the Shadow

Chapter Three: The Ribbon and the Shadow  
  
"Rosa dear, you took longer back then I expected."  
  
"I'm sorry Mother." Rosa said as she stepped in the door of her house. Her hair was once again neatly brushed, her dress had been put back on over the leotard, and her boots were polished clean at the palace and free of dust. She was carrying a small box of her father's belongings that had been found in his room when he had to stay in Baron Palace, and she had not yet opened them to reveal their contents. Alexia appeared in the room and smiled as Rosa handed the box over and prepared to retreat into her room for the remainder of the morning.  
  
"Rosa!"  
  
"Yes?" Rosa turned around tiredly and was surprised to see her mother gesturing for her to come over.  
  
"Lets look at these together, alright?" Alexia asked. Rosa nodded and trudged back over. Cecil's ambitions to become a Dark Knight and Cid's mentioning of her father sort of ripped open the scab in her soul that she was trying to nurse back to health. It was something that a white magic spell couldn't help heal, but Rosa prayed every night she would feel her best again so she could be strong for her mother. But... nothing seemed to be doing too awfully much. She had been lying to herself before when she thought that archery and magic lessons would make it fade away.  
  
"I'm going to be a Dark Knight, of course."  
  
".....Cecil..." Rosa sighed to herself so that her mother couldn't hear. She sat down at their dining room table across from Alexia and slowly, the box was opened and its contents removed. Inside were a few books, some more clothes, and a small piece of parchment labeling who the items belonged to. That was it. Rosa stood up to go, when her mother suddenly cleared her throat, making Rosa stop.  
  
"Is something wrong dear?" Alexia asked. Rosa wanted to tell her all about Cecil, and how she was suddenly feeling about Father, but instead, she shook her head and put on a smile.  
  
"I am a little tired from running around all morning." Rosa said. "I think I am just going to lie down for a while."  
  
"I hope you're not getting sick." Alexia said worriedly.  
  
"No, no, I'm SURE I'm fine!" Rosa said, and flinched at her bad over- enthusiasm. "I mean...Er..."  
  
"Hee-hee, it's ok, I understand." Alexia said, and waved her hand. "No need to go into details honey. I think every woman in the world can relate with you there." Rosa gulped and cringed when she realized what her mother was thinking.  
  
"No, Mother, it's not..."  
  
"Go on back to bed dear, and I'll make you some tea." Rosa sighed in an over-exaggerated way and went to her room, dropping down onto her lacy canopy bed and gazing up at the ceiling. What an unusual morning she had had... it was definately the most exciting and yet annoying thing that had happened to her in quite a long time. She had thought highly of Cecil, especially after he saved her life, but he ignored her until he learned of who her father was! How rude was that? But at least Kain had been friendly to her. She guessed that he and Cecil must have been the best of friends since they seemingly did everything together. They seemed so in sync with each other.  
  
Even though she knew she would probably never see Cecil again, Rosa couldn't help but think about him more and try fill in the details he had left out of his life. All she knew was that he and Kain had been adopted by the king at ages two and three... Did that make them royalty? Rosa giggled to herself and smiled a little. And he and Kain had returned to Baron after three years to go into Baron's Military Academy... The Master Engineer Cid seemed so surprised when he saw those two. Had they changed that much? Rosa had only known Cecil for two hours and she realized she could never picture him as anything less the serious self he was now.  
  
"Arg, Rosa, stop thinking about him!" Rosa scolded. "It's silly...really..."  
  
"Rosa, who are you talking to?" Alexia asked from the doorway.  
  
"Oh, no one... I was singing." Rosa said, and sat up quickly. Alexia smiled and handed Rosa her favorite herbal tea. Rosa thanked her and took a small sip, letting the warm liquid slide down her throat. "Mother, would you mind letting me be for a while now? I really am going to try to rest." Rosa wanted more time to think to herself, and then maybe, just maybe, she would work on her magic a bit.  
  
**********  
  
Cecil sighed to himself as he once again rolled over to a new position in bed, this time stomach up. He gazed up at his ceiling, wondering why he couldn't fall asleep. It had been a long day, and even though he was excited to be home, all Cecil had wanted to do was nap after he had changed out of his wet clothes and shoes. But a small pang of guilt was keeping him from doing that.  
  
"That girl..." He murmured as he folded his hands behind his head. He had asked King Baron about her after his reunion with Cid, but he didn't find out much. All he learned was that she was from a wealthy family, and that she lived by herself with her mother. She was 14, and while she was an excellent archerer, she wasn't so good at white magic, which was a dormant ability of hers. She took lessons in the palace almost every day of the week except Sunday, so Cecil figured he might see more of her then he had expected from before.  
  
"I think you hurt her feelings before, Cecil." Kain had told him when she left. "She looked pretty upset."  
  
"What did she have to be upset over?" Cecil asked. "After all, I saved her life!"  
  
"Well, I don't know, it's just what I think." Kain said, and smiled some. "But I don't know anything about girls!"  
  
So did I hurt her feelings? Cecil thought to himself. ......I didn't mean to, if I did. No one seems to understand that they shouldn't get worked up over the trivial things in life. People should have priorities... Didn't....Rosa say that too? Well, I have priorities. I hurried back to Baron as fast as possible so that I could complete my training and become a Dark Knight... just like his Highness ordered...  
  
"Cecil!" Kain's voice suddenly called from the hallway. A second later, his door was thrown open, with an excited Kain in the doorway to greet Cecil.  
  
"Huh?" Cecil asked as he sat up.  
  
"We're finally free to go into town on our own!" Kain exclaimed. "I got us permission from the king! Do you want to go into town and do something?"  
  
"...Well, sure." Cecil said. He decided that he should get out as much as possible with his best friend before the summer was over, because all they would be focusing on in the fall was training.  
  
"Well, hurry up, lets go!" Kain said. Cecil jumped out of bed and smiled a little, which surprised Kain, as he rarely saw his friend smile.  
  
"What is it?" Kain asked suspiciously.  
  
"Can I borrow a pair of boots?" Cecil asked, and laughed nervously. "Mine are still wet..."  
  
"Ugh, ok, come on." Kain said, shaking his head in a joking manner. "You know, a real man wouldn't whimper over wet boots..."  
  
"Hey!" Cecil exclaimed, and punched Kain lightly on the shoulder. "Just because you're older doesn't mean you can lecture me!"  
  
"A whole year makes a lot of difference!" Kain pointed out, and laughed as he ran down the twisting palace hallway to his room for a pair of boots.  
  
"Yeah right man!" Cecil called after him, and crossed his arms over his chest. He would just wait patiently for Kain to return with his boots.  
  
**********  
  
".....Cure!!!" Rosa said excitedly, and opened her eyes after finishing her magic chant to see her spell come to life. Instead of the pale blue and golden light she was expecting to sprinkle over an old stuffed bear, nothing happened. Rosa glared at the bear and grabbed it in an iron fist, launching it across the room only for it's flight to be interrupted by her bedroom wall. The bear made a light thump before hitting the floor, looking more raggedy then ever now.  
  
"The most simple of spells, and I can't cast it!" Rosa huffed, and stood up. "I need some fresh air, I've been trapped in my room all afternoon!" Still dressed in her pink gown, Rosa decided not to change and grabbed a lacy matching hat off of a peg in her wall to shove on her head so that she wouldn't be sunburned outside. She was too frustrated to bother with switching clothes across the street at the store. As Rosa exited her home, she noticed her mother fast asleep in a parlor chair, her cheeks stained with dried tears. Biting her lower lip, Rosa proceeded on, shutting the door quietly behind her.  
  
The streets were much more busy than in the morning. Rosa had no idea where she was going, but anywhere had to have been better then home at the moment. Rosa realized that she certainly did not have much to do when she didn't have her lessons at the palace. She let out a small sigh as she saw a group of teenagers run past her, laughing and pushing each other to hurry along to wherever they had to go.  
  
"I can't remember ever having friends like that." Rosa said softly to herself. "Have my ambitions for the future been keeping me out of the reach of others...? Like Father...?" Rosa felt her heart skip a beat at this thought. She never had time to think about these things previously... Suddenly, she felt as if she had much growing up to do.  
  
At that moment, she heard a familar laugh. When Rosa looked up, she saw the young dragoon Kain and Cecil sitting on the side of the road, sipping something colored from the bottles in their hands. Rosa's gaze slowly drifted from Kain to Cecil, who was smiling and flashing a brilliant smile. She felt her face immediately darken with red, and tugged down her hat to hide her face as she slowly walked by them. Neither one recognized her. When Rosa turned her head for one last gaze, she saw Cecil on his hands and knees, peering at something behind a crate in front of the store.  
  
"What are you doing?" She heard Kain shout before she looked away and continued on. Before she knew it, she had reached the end of Baron, unintentionally. The town's gates were standing tall and proud, well recovered from the destruction they received in war all those years ago. Rosa still found it hard to believe that Baron had ever been touched by war. She rested a hand on the brick gate and gazed out into the distance, not being able to see anything ahead of her but miles and miles of Baron's beautiful green plains. She thought about her father was gazing at these same plains at one point or another in his short life, and her heart began to ache again.  
  
"Oh Father... I.... I still can't get over it...!" Rosa murmured, and collapsed against the wall, her eyes stinging with tears. Suddenly, the environment around Rosa seemed to drop drastically in temperature, and when she rubbed her eyes, she realized she was engulfed in an enourmus shadow.  
  
"What?!?" Rosa cried, and looked up, only to receive the shock of her life. Soaring right above Baron was a giant bird! No, not a bird.... it was more like a ship with wings! A beautiful, magnificant creation...! Right when Rosa was about to leap to her feet to follow it, a gust of warm wind hit her, and as a result, something blew right into her eyes. Rosa cringed as she peeled whatever it was off of her face, and let out a small gasp. It was her ribbon that she had lost this morning! It was a bit dirty from being in the street, but none the less, it was her ribbon, all in one piece! Was it a miracle?? Rosa's senses leaped to attention when she thought she heard the sound of frantic footsteps. Still within the flying ship's shadow, Rosa looked up and peered into the darkness, where she could see a tall figure running off.  
  
"Wait!" Rosa cried as she shoved her ribbon down the front of her dress so that she wouldn't lose it again. She took off running herself, but found this very difficult in her dress, and soon had to give up. Huffing and wheezing against the tightness of her dress, Rosa collapsed down into the street and lowered her head to gain her breath as she rested her hand over her chest. She hated this constrained feeling... both of having the gown on and not being able to catch the runner! She was hoping whoever it was would be kind enough to stop and see if she was ok, but no one came back to her.  
  
"Figures!" Rosa snapped, and steadily got back on her feet. By this time, the flying ship had long since passed over Rosa, and was making its way to the palace... her next destination! 


	4. The Airship and the Resolution

Chapter 4: The Airship and the Resolution  
  
All through town, Rosa could hear the townsfolk murmuring about the giant flying ship that had passed over them in the sky. She decided that the best way to get to the palace was the shortcut that Cecil and Kain had shown her before. After making her way through the alley that led to the waterway, Rosa stopped when she realized she would have a hard time getting across. The water looked even more threatening now than it did this morning.  
  
"Hmm..." Rosa said to herself, and crossed her arms in thought as she recalled one of her first White Magic lessons ever. "When facing an obstacle, a white mage must always remember that the resourceful and most moderate solution is the best answer to reaching one's goal." Rosa looked up at the sky and rolled her eyes. "But how the heck does that help me now when I can't cast a spell to save my life!??!?!"  
  
"So we meet again, Rosa. Wow, that 14 years you predicted sure went fast, huh? You don't look a day older!" Rosa gasped and turned around, only to see Kain standing behind her and smiling.  
  
"Kain!" Rosa exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Well, I wanted to get back to the palace quickly." Kain explained. "Did you see that airship??"  
  
"Air-ship?" Rosa pronounced slowly.  
  
"Yeah, that's what they call those new flying machines." Kain explained. "Pretty cool, huh? They are the latest in engineering technology, I mean...seriously ahead of our time. Cid has been designing them for years, and Baron has been producing them in secret. It's only been recently that they have been voyaging around the world, so not many people have seen one. It's simply amazing, if you ask me."  
  
"You're right they are simply amazing...!" Rosa cried. "I've been living in Baron and I haven't seen one until now! How did you know about all that?"  
  
"Well, parts of the military were briefed about them a long time ago." Kain said. "Of course, there are still a lot of details I don't know myself. But what I really want right now is to get to the palace so I can ride on that bad boy!"  
  
"You can ride on it?" Rosa questioned, still rather stunned.  
  
"Sure, that's what they're there for." Kain said. "Cid promised me a ride! You want to come with me? It will be awesome!"  
  
"Well...I don't know..." Rosa said. "I really just actually wanted to see it..."  
  
"Are you scared?" Kain smirked a little. "I'll make sure nothing happens to you. Besides, you're a white wizard, so nothing will happen to us anyway, right?" Rosa blinked.  
  
"How did you know I was a white wizard?"  
  
"I remembered how you told Cid you were taking lessons at the palace." Kain smiled. Rosa smiled more anda clapped her hands together. Well at least he paid some attention!  
  
"You're right, I won't let anything happen to us!" Rosa exclaimed with fake confidence. "Lets go already!"  
  
"Ok, hold on tight then." Kain said, and suddenly grabbed Rosa, hoisting her over his shoulder.  
  
"Eeep!" Rosa cried in surprise.  
  
"Eeep is right, you're heavy!" Kain joked, and Rosa playfully hit him on the back before he took only a few steps and leap flying into the air, sailing gracefully over the water. Rosa widened her eyes. They were so high, she almost felt as if she were on an airship at that very moment! Kain was amazing! Before she knew it though, they had landed softly back on the ground, and Kain had set her down gently on her own two feet.  
  
"Well, now that we crossed that bridge...!" Kain smiled and waved for Rosa to follow him. The two took off running through the fields to Baron Palace. Instead of going through the front gates though, Kain led her around the side of the palace to where Rosa knew a lot of travel equipment was held, like hovercrafts and small tanks. Only this time, all of those were gone, and had been replaced by the giant airship, which looked even bigger on the ground then it did in the sky. Swarming all about the airship were red-uniformed soldiers going back and forth from the palace and the ship, and on the deck of the ship was Cid himself, looking over everything that was happening around him. And beside him was...  
  
"Oh, it's Cecil!" Rosa exclaimed. "You didn't tell me he was going to be here too, Kain!"  
  
"Oh, I didn't...?" Kain asked slowly, and crossed his arms over his chest, frowning slightly. "Must of slipped my mind..." Rosa looked at him, her eyes shining, and he couldn't help but soften his gaze.  
  
"Well, come on, lets go!" Rosa exclaimed.  
  
"Right." Kain said, and gestured for her to follow him. He led her up a small gangplank to the deck of the airship, and waved to Cid top get his attention. At that moment, Cecil looked up from the floor and looked over to his friend, only to see Rosa by his side. Kain elbowed her and said something that made her laugh, and Cecil could feel his cheeks getting slightly hot. He pushed his hair out of his eyes and approached them slowly, hands in his pockets.  
  
"Tell Kain I'll be with him in a minute Cecil!" Cid exclaimed, and ran off to yell at one of his mechanics.  
  
"Hey Cecil, you beat me here by a longshot!" Kain exclaimed, and Cecil smirked. "Did you finish your business with that rib--." Suddenly Cecil held up his hand as if to quiet Kain, and Rosa widened her eyes.  
  
"Cid said he'll be with you guys in a minute." Cecil said cooly. He looked to Rosa. "Welcome back."  
  
"Uhh...good afternoon." Rosa said in a voice barely audible to anyone around her. What was Kain going to say before?  
  
"So, when will she be ready to fly again?" Kain asked, slapping his hand on a railing.  
  
"Pretty soon, we just gotta wait for the engine to cool down a bit." Cecil replied. "I can't wait to ride..."  
  
"Kain! Kain Highwind!" Kain blinked at the sound of his name, and leaned over the edge of the ship. Down on the ground below was none other than the snot-nosed captain of the guards, Baigan. Kain wrinkled his nose in disgust. Baigan thought he was hot stuff just because he was a few years older then both him and Cecil and already had a high rank in the military.  
  
"What do you want?" Kain shouted down at him.  
  
"King Baron requests your presence immediately!" Baigan called up to him between cupped hands.  
  
"But we're about to lift off!" Kain called back.  
  
"Well, I rather think he doesn't care about that." Baigan said delighted. "But if you wish for me to deliver the message..."  
  
"Arg, no, I'm coming." Kain snapped, and turned to Rosa and Cecil. "I'm going to have to skip out on this ride you guys, sorry."  
  
"Oh, it's alright." Rosa said, and waved her hand. "You had best not get into trouble."  
  
"I wonder what is up with Baigan today..." Cecil murmured to himself. "Actually, he hasn't seemed like himself lately..."  
  
"I'll find out, and when I do, I'll....grrr..." Kain growled, and retreated back down the gangplank to the waiting Baigan. When they had walked off together, Cid joined the two teens that were left.  
  
"What a shame he'll miss out." Cid said. "I immagine it just gives us an excuse to take another ride together again later on, huh? Har har har!!!"  
  
"Is it ok for me to be here?" Rosa asked. "I mean, I did sort of just barge in with Kain..."  
  
"Of course it's ok girly!" Cid exclaimed, and gave her a pat on the back that nearly made her tumble over. "I'd like to get to know ya better myself! You come by my ship whenever you'd like a ride! This beauty is all mine!"  
  
"Oh, thank you Mister Cid!" Rosa exclaimed.  
  
"Just Cid will work, of course." Cid said, and smiled with his huge, gleaming teeth. "Now you two just relax and enjoy. It's time for liftoff!" Cid bounded off to the steering wheel, and Rosa turned to Cecil, who's attention was directed elsewhere. She bit her lip and turned away, walking to the opposite end of the ship. A few moments later, the entire airship began to rumble and shake violently, and Rosa had to hold onto the railings for dear life. The propellers above her began to purr and rotate, at first slow enough for her to watch, but quickly became so dizzying she had to look away. She cried out in excitement when she saw the ship slowly hovering off the ground, and then lifting up higher and higher until all of a sudden, Baron was nothing more but a blur of distant housetops and trees! She was flying!  
  
"Oh my goodness..." Rosa murmured, wishing she had about 20 more pairs of eyes to view everything around her. Her hat blew back from her head, but luckliy, since it was tied on tightly, it rested comfortably on her back , allowing her hair to blow back from her face. Oh, her mother wouldn't believe her when she told her at dinner tonight that she had actually been on an airship...!  
  
"Looks pretty nice, huh? Almost like another world up here..." Rosa turned and saw Cecil standing by her side, his blue eyes focused on her this time.  
  
"I do think it's beautiful!" Rosa smiled. But she didn't want any of this petty talk. She wanted to get her burning curiosity off her back.  
  
"Cecil, thank you for returning my ribbon."  
  
"Huh?" Cecil asked blankly, but his eyes gave it away so easily. Rosa reached down and pulled out the ribbon, holding it up for him to see.  
  
"You gave it back, didn't you?" Rosa asked.  
  
"Uh, well, I found it and figured you might want it." Cecil admitted, and turned slightly red.  
  
"You could have just handed it to me." Rosa smiled. "You don't know how much this means to me, really...! My father gave me this for my birthday and...."  
  
"Well, I didn't want you to get all cute and appreciative on me and make me late for my airship ride like you are now." Cecil said, and smiled slightly. Rosa smiled more and blushed.  
  
"Cute, huh?"  
  
"Cute... like a little kid!" Cecil added quickly, and crossed his arms over his chest. "But I am glad...that you're happy. Oh yeah...uhh..." Cecil sighed. "I'm sorry for being so cold this morning. I mean, I guess I could just say it's cause I'm not exactly a morning person, but that would be the coward's way out. I really have no excuses, other then the fact that I'm not usually used to being friendly with girls...they usually slap you or kick you or do something if you do one thing wrong...But it doesn't seem like you're like most girls...."  
  
"Oh, it's ok...!" Rosa exclaimed, her heart beating frantically. "So, how did you find me before?"  
  
"I saw you on the streets." Cecil explained. "I recognized you right away, even with all THAT on." He tugged on one of Rosa's long sleeves, and she made a face.  
  
"That is amazing." She said, and placed her hands on her hips. Suddenly the ship lurched a bit, startling Rosa and making her fall forward. With one quick motion, Cecil reached out and grabbed hold of her, preventing her from hitting the deck. Rosa looked up and smiled greatfully at him, and found him staring at her intently. She suddenly felt nervous and fidgety, so she casually reached up to push her hair out of her eyes. Cecil reached up also, with the hand with the silver ring, and beat her to it, softly tucking the loose strands behind her ears. Cecil took in a short breath, his mind racing. What was this feeling he had? It was as if every one of his senses had suddenly awoken, and yet they could only focus on her soft brown eyes...her silky blonde hair...her delicate features....  
  
Rosa opened her mouth to say something, but found that she couldn't. Instead, she just sort of parted her lips as if in mid-word. She could tell Cecil was about to speak for her when...  
  
"Hey, are you two ok back there? Sorry about the lurches, but I think we're gonna hafta turn her around and go home!!" Cid's very loud voice boomed and reached them all the way across the airship, causing them both to snap out of their own worlds.  
  
"Yeah, we're ok!" Cecil yelled so loudly, Rosa cringed and had to cover her ears. He looked at her quickly and wrapped an arm around her waist to hoist her up along with him. When they were both steady on their feet again, Rosa embarassedly brushed off her dress.  
  
"Are you alright?" Cecil asked quickly.  
  
"Uhh, yeah... just a bit flustered." Rosa said, her voice regaining its more regal tone. When she looked up from her dress, she saw Cecil walking away, and she felt her heart drop to her stomach. But he suddenly turned around, and held up a hand.  
  
"I'm going to make sure Cid doesn't need help." He said. "But when we land....I'll walk you home. It may be dark once we actually get down on the ground..."  
  
"Thank you." Rosa said, and smiled. Right then, she felt as if she could spread her own pair of wings and fly home herself. 


	5. The Past and the Future

Chapter 5: The Past and the Future  
  
By the time the airship had been safely landed and secured back in Baron, the sky had begun to grow dark. Various windows in the towers of the palace were lit, and night guards were beginning to make their rounds about the palace. Rosa shivered, the chilly air beginning to get to her, and pulled her hat back on her head and over her ears. After what seemed like forever, Cecil approached her out of the darkness from the front of the airship.  
  
"Ready?" He asked.  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be!" Rosa said, and let out a soft yawn. "I'm sure going to sleep well tonight..."  
  
"Me too." Cecil agreed, and stretched. "So, where do you live?"  
  
When the two walked back to Rosa's house, they took the long way rather then the waterway shortcut, for fear of a repeat of the morning's events. Rosa was thrilled, because Cecil volunteered a lot more information about himself then he had done previously.  
  
"Well... I was supposedly born in Baron, and raised by my mother until I was two." Cecil said.  
  
"Where was your father?" Rosa asked.  
  
"I don't know." Cecil replied casually. "The truth is, I know nothing about him. Not what he looks like, not anything. Not even his name...and my mother died, so of course, I didn't learn much about him from her either."  
  
"Oh..." Rosa trailed off. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Well, it's not a part of my life that I remember too well, so it doesn't really plague me." Cecil went on. "So when I was two, I was adopted by King Baron, along with Kain. That's when Kain and I met. He was an orphan as well... so I guess having that in common and growing up together is what made us become as close as we are today. The truth is, I'm not really that close with many people, except him and Cid. They have been the only people there for me my whole life, so I trust them with all my being." Rosa nodded and was about to ask another question, but Cecil interrupted her.  
  
"So Rosa, what was your childhood like?"  
  
"My childhood?" Rosa repeated, and looked up into the starry sky. "Well... for as long as I can remember, my only passion has been white magic and archery, although I am much better at archery than the latter. I made friends around the palace with classmates and teachers...but I didn't stay too close with my peers because my teachers said I had potential and started training me personally with archery, and my magic classmates are all so much more advanced than me, I think they feel I am not taking our art seriously, so they ignore me..."  
  
"Why can't you use magic?" Cecil asked.  
  
"I'm not sure." Rosa replied. "My mother was a very powerful white wizard when she was younger, so I know I have the potential. It just seems like I cannot learn anything, no matter how hard I try..."  
  
"You probably just need experience." Cecil said. "Sometimes, that's what mages need to get things rolling, you know?"  
  
"Experience? As in, battle?" Rosa asked.  
  
"Right." Cecil said. "It seems that magic has the greatest potential in battle, so maybe your body just needs a wake up call with that. It's not like battling should be hard for you, right?"  
  
"....Right." Rosa said, wondering why no one had ever suggested this to her before.  
  
"Well...you can always come hunting with me and Kain sometime." Cecil offered slowly. "It would be good practice for you. Besides, I'd like to see for myself how good you are with a bow and arrow. The King certainly thinks highly of you."  
  
"You asked the King about me?" Rosa asked, surprised.  
  
"Well...yeah, just to make sure uhh....that..." Cecil trailed off and ran his fingers through his hair, which Rosa was beginning to notice he did when he was nervous.  
  
"Just to make sure I wasn't feeding you any crap about who I was?" Rosa suggested flat-out, and Cecil blinked.  
  
"Oh, something like that." Cecil said, trying to keep his cool. "You certainly have colorful language..."  
  
"Oh, you haven't heard me when I try magic." Rosa smiled, and Cecil laughed softly. When she looked over at where they were, she realized they were only a few yards from her home. "That's the place." Rosa said, and pointed it out. Cecil let out a low whistle.  
  
"Not too shabby."  
  
"Well, it's no palace, but we get by." Rosa said, and the two reached her doorway. At first, neither said anything. The only sounds that could be heard were that of crickets in the garden.  
  
"So, uh...." Rosa trailed off.  
  
"....Well...you'll be at the palace tomorrow, right?" Cecil questioned, and Rosa blinked.  
  
"Yes, if my lessons arn't cancelled again."  
  
"I see." Cecil said, and shoved his hands in his pockets. "So...should I tell Kain "Hi" for you?"  
  
"Please do!" Rosa exclaimed. "And tell him thank you very much for escorting me to the palace." Cecil bit his lip for a moment, and nodded.  
  
"Alright." He said. He turned, and took a step forward before looking back at Rosa, who was watching him go. She blinked and suddenly realized something.  
  
"Oh, and Cecil...thank you for taking me home." She smiled. "It was very kind of you..."  
  
"I did it...because I wanted to." Cecil said. "You don't have to thank me. Sweet dreams..." With that, Cecil turned his head, and this time, he walked away without looking back. Rosa stood outside and watched him until she could see no trace of his presense, and entered her home.  
  
When Rosa entered, she could see that her mother was still sleeping where she was when she left. Rosa smiled a little and took a blanket, gently wrapping it around her mother so that she would not catch a chill. She then pulled off her boots , set them beside the doorway, and retreated into her own room for the night. After closing and locking the door behind her, Rosa removed her hat and gown, and then her leotard underneath, and placed her hair ribbon on her dresser. She wrapped her arms around herself to keep herself from freezing in her underwear before she located her nightgown. At last she found it discarded on the floor, where she had left it that morning, and pulled it over her head quickly. With that final task done, Rosa climbed under all of the covers on her bed and curled up into a ball, the way she slept every night. Her prediction on the airship had been correct-before she knew it, she was fast asleep.  
  
**********  
  
As Cecil entered the palace, he could hear footsteps approaching him quickly. In a matter of moments, Kain appeared, his cheeks red from running.  
  
"Kain!" Cecil exclaimed happily. "You waited up for me?"  
  
"Just to make sure you got back safely." Kain smiled back, and looked around. "Where's Rosa?"  
  
"Rosa? Oh, I walked her home." Cecil said quickly, and tried to change the subject. "So, what did the king want?"  
  
"Walked her home, huh?" Kain went on anyway, and elbowed Cecil playfully. "Quite the gentleman we have become overnight, eh?"  
  
"Give me a break." Cecil rolled his eyes. "I have ALWAYS had common decentcy."  
  
"You could have gotten a guard to escord her home." Kain continued on. "Of course, it doesn't even seem like she would need one, considering it wasn't even that dark out..." Cecil turned red and narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Man, what is it to you anyway??" Cecil demanded. Kain held up his hands in defense.  
  
"Just tryin' to see if you like her. I mean, because if not, I think I may make my move." Kain smiled some, and Cecil turned even redder. "Just kidding!" He exclaimed quickly.  
  
"Uhh...if I liked her, you know I would tell you." Cecil replied nervously. "Like, I told you when I had a crush on Gwen, remember? I told you about that."  
  
"Assistant instructors at school don't count!!" Kain grinned. "And besides, all you did was say she was pretty. It's not the same as actually liking someone." Kain started to laugh a little. "In fact, Cecil, I think this may be the first person you've ever liked!"  
  
"Arg, I do not have a crush on Rosa!" Cecil cried, and tried to wrestle Kain down. Kain easily slid out of the way as Cecil fell right onto his face. Cecil looked up from the floor and made a face. "Kain, I think you're the one who needs a girlfriend. Why don't you go and ask Rosa out?" Kain blinked and shook his head slowly.  
  
"I could never do that to my best friend." He said slyly, and held out his hand to help Cecil up. Cecil accepted and stood up, sighing.  
  
"You can believe what you want!" Cecil said, giving up. "But honestly, I've got more important things to consider in my life right now other than girls..."  
  
"Cecil..." Kain trailed off and looked around to make sure they were the only ones in the entryway of the palace. When he saw the coast was clear, he turned back to his friend.  
  
"You don't have to dedicate your entire existance to becoming a Dark Knight..." Kain said. "These things take time anyway, and I don't see why King Baron should be in such a hurry...him and Baigan seem too impatient with everything these days. That was the first thing I noticed when we came home. They are both different somehow..."  
  
"Baigan maybe, but not his highness!" Cecil said angirly. "We owe the King our lives...and the least we could do is obey orders efficiently!" Cecil shook his head. "You should have trained to become a Dark Knight too, like King Baron wanted. Then you would be able to understand me."  
  
"Cecil, you're my best friend, I already do understand you." Kain protested. "I wanted to become a Dragoon so I could follow my father's path, not one that someone set out for me! And I'm happier this way. I don't want to live life bound my the rules of the military and the kingdom. I want to experience other things too..." Cecil blinked, surprised at the impact that Kain's words had on him. None the less, he was still angry about Kain trying to lower the importance of King Baron's orders. That was unacceptable.  
  
"I'm just going to go to bed." Cecil said, and pushed past Kain. "See you in the morning."  
  
"Cecil, wait..." Kain called after him, but Cecil had already broke into a run down the hall. Cecil sighed as he turned a corner and raced up the nearest stairway.  
  
Do you think I like it, Kain? Cecil thought sadly. Do you think I enjoy being so restricted? No... I don't, but reguardless, an order is an order! The King has been there for us our entire lives, almost... I'm afraid... I'm afraid that if I say no....  
  
...I'll be an orphan all over again.  
  
What would Rosa think of me then...? If she thinks anything of me now...  
  
Cecil slowed down when he realized Kain wasn't making the effort to follow him, and leaned back against the cold stone wall, inhaling deeply to catch his breath. He lowered his head and stared at the ground, but when he closed his eyes, all he could see was... her face....Cecil felt his heart skip a beat.  
  
"Rosa..." He whispered, and thought back to the airship ride. It was the closest he had been to her all day, ever sicne they met, actually. He could remember the surge of warmth he felt throughout his entire body as he held her close to him. For a few moments, he had gotten to be her protector. It was a nice, pleasent feeling...something new and familiar all at once. He couldn't believe how hard it was to get her out of his thoughts all of a sudden... maybe Kain had been a little right...maybe he did like her. What did they call it? Love at first sight...? Cecil shook his head and looked from the floor to the ceiling above him.  
  
Cut into the ceiling was a nice, wide skyway, and Cecil could see the full, silver moon. He felt his body relax at the sight of it and smiled a little to himself. The moon had always brought him comfort, even as a child. It was a secret he kept to himself, because it seemed very childish. Cecil could not immagine what brought about this serene feeling he always got, but he never wished to grow out of it or for it to go away....  
  
Cecil felt a shiver run through his body, and wrapped his arms around himself. The castle always got cold at night, so he decided he should hurry to bed for the night. He checked back behind him once more to see whether Kain was coming or not, but he could not spot any sign of life.  
  
"I wonder if Kain was really just joking about liking her." Cecil mumbled to himself as he walked on. "I swear, he makes the dumbest jokes at the worst times..." 


	6. The Accident and the Consolation

Chapter 6: The Accident and the Consolation  
  
The rest of Rosa's week was strangely as normal as ever, except for the fact she got to get a look at the airship everytime she went outside for target practice at the palace. She did not see Cecil nor Kain at all, and King Baron seemed up to his usual business. Her mother was still on the verge of depression, and like always, Rosa could do nothing about it. And of course, she couldn't cast Cure, or anything else, for that matter.  
  
"Swoosh!"  
  
Rosa let out a disappointed sigh as she watched her arrow fly right over her target, and lowered her bow. She just couldn't stop thinking about Cecil, and wondering about where he was. Had everything that happened on Monday been some long, complicated dream? If it were so, she wished she could have never awoken. Her instructor, a soldier and archerer named Draco Madison, gave Rosa a funny look.  
  
"What's wrong with you today?" He asked as he walked to her side. Rosa shrugged and promptly sat on the ground. She knew this irritated Draco the most. He was a very impatient 19-year old.  
  
"Get up!" He exclaimed.  
  
"I need to rest my arm." Rosa replied snottily, while desperately wishing she had a good excuse that she was willing to tell Draco for her poor performances today. She figured that if she were mean enough, Draco would back off, but she was wrong.  
  
"Your arm isn't on your bottom." He said, and put his hands on his hips. Rosa looked up at him with a look on her face that said "Duh", and he turned red in the face, which she found quite amusing. Draco resembled a Red Eye monster when he was angry.  
  
"Is there something you need to tell me?" He demanded cooly. Suddenly, Rosa's eyes lit up and she leapt to her feet, bolting past Draco.  
  
"What the hell?" He cried, as Rosa sprinted off to the end of the courtyard. Waiting against a wall and holding his hand up in a wave was Cecil! Rosa thought she would explode with excitement before she reached him. Whoever had made up the saying 'absense makes the heart grow fonder' was straight on it! When Rosa reached Cecil, she put on a bright smile and gripped her bow tightly as a way to calm herself.  
  
"Hello Cecil!" Rosa said.  
  
"Hey." Cecil said, and peered behind her quickly, only to see Draco staring at them. "Can we talk without him around?"  
  
"Uh, well sure!" Rosa said, even though she knew Draco couldn't hear a word they were saying. Cecil gestured for her to follow him, and they left the courtyard. Rosa cringed as she heard Draco shout last minute threats of tattling on her as she walked out. Cecil closed the door behind her and she looked up at him.  
  
"Where have you been?" She asked. "I haven't seen you or Kain since Monday."  
  
"What day is it today?" Cecil asked.  
  
"Friday."  
  
"Oh...wow, time sure flew by this week." Cecil commented. "But actually, Kain and I were busy 'settling back in' all week, if you know what I mean. You know, getting used to being home again..."  
  
"Oh, I see." Rosa said, and tilted her head to the side. "Is there something you wanted to talk about?"  
  
"Actually, yeah." Cecil said. "Remember what I said about wanting to see you shoot sometime?" He tapped Rosa's bow, and she nodded.  
  
"I immagine you must have seen plenty today though." Rosa said, turning red at the thought of him seeing her do so bad.  
  
"Well, you looked like you were distracted..." Cecil said, and Rosa smiled a little.  
  
"Actually, I was... I was thinking about you." Rosa said shyly, deciding that the truth had to be known. Cecil blushed a little, but he didn't frown, which Rosa took as a good sign. He cleared his throat and smiled a little.  
  
"Well, at any rate, I was wondering if you wanted to come out with me and Kain tonight and do a bit of combat practice in the southern forest." Rosa blinked and turned pale.  
  
"Combat, at night, in a forest?!"  
  
"It's when the best monsters come out." Cecil added.  
  
"Uhh, I don't think my mother would allow me to be out so late..." Rosa trailed off.  
  
"Oh, alright." Cecil said a little disappointedly. "Well, if you change your mind, you know where we'll be... Kain and I will be leaving Baron around midnight."  
  
"I'm sorry Cecil..." Rosa trailed off.  
  
"It's alright." Cecil said, and shrugged. "Maybe another time, huh?"  
  
"Yeah, another time..." Rosa sighed and waved some as Cecil walked off. With that, she retreated back to the courtyard, only to come face to face with a very pissed off Draco.  
  
"Aha, good afternoon, Draco." Rosa said nervously as she waved.  
  
"Since when do you think you can just walk out of class to go on a date with your boyfriend?!" Draco screamed. Rosa widened her eyes, as she could hear birds shrieking in the courtyard and all taking off from their trees to get as far away from Draco as possible.  
  
"Well, he's not really my boyfriend..." Rosa began, but Draco held up his hand and she shut up instantly.  
  
"I've heard enough, you are dismissed for the day!" He snapped. Rosa gasped and grabbed Draco's arm.  
  
"I'm sorry, really..." She moaned. "Please, I promise I won't be distracted anymore..."  
  
"I'm becoming distracted by you!" Draco cried, and jerked away from her. "You can fool around in your other classes and get away with it, but not here. Now scram."  
  
"Hmmph!" Rosa snorted, and turned her back on him as he walked away. She had never been so angry in her life! She takes a break from lessons for one moment and it all blows up back in her face!  
  
I grow tired of always being told I fool around when I am doing my best! Rosa thought. I do have other priorities too, Draco Madison!  
  
Before she could stop herself, Rosa turned around and angirly pointed a finger at Draco, who's back was turned to her as he sauntered away.  
  
"MINI!" Rosa shrieked, hoping he would feel threatened by her fake magic spell. However, she was a little more than shocked to feel a warm, tingly feeling in her finger, and came to the point of fainting when the same familiar peach clouds she had seen in her text books surrounded Draco and began to glitter. A short scream from Draco followed, and when the clouds disappeared...he was gone!  
  
"Oh my goodness!" Rosa cried, and covered her mouth to keep from screaming herself. She quickly ran over to where Draco had been standing, and looked down.  
  
"Hey, what the hell did you do to me?" A squeaky voice screamed at her from below. Rosa felt like laughing and crying at the same time when she saw the tiny, almost indistinquishable version of Draco at her feet, who barely reached the tips of her boots in height.  
  
"Um, s-s-sorry..." Rosa stuttered. "You see, I actually didn't think I..."  
  
"Hurry up and cast Esuna on me!" Mini-Draco shrieked, his voice so high-pitched, that Rosa had to cover her ears.  
  
"Esuna? That's an at least level 30 spell, if I remember correctly!" Rosa stopped, and brought a hand to her chin. "Or is that level 20..."  
  
"Whatever, just change me back!" Draco whined.  
  
"Oh, I can just cast Mini again!" Rosa grinned. "Ok, here goes...Mini!" Her smile was quickly replaced with a frown when the same tingling warm feeling did not come back to her fingers and nothing happened.  
  
"....Mini?" Rosa tried again.  
  
"Mini?"  
  
"MINI!"  
  
Rosa gulped and looked back down to Draco, who was either waving at Rosa for no reason or making a very rude motion with his hand... it was actually quite hard to tell. Right then, Rosa heard footsteps behind her, and a palace guard appeared.  
  
"I thought I heard screaming, is everything ok?" He asked Rosa.  
  
"Umm...actually..." Rosa scooped up Draco and dumped him in the surprised guard's hands. "I think he might need fixed... Bye!" With that, Rosa took off running for dear life, Draco's squeals and protests following her. She burst back into the palace, and looked about her surroundings, trying to find a place where she could mellow out and calm down before she would go home to explain all this to her mother, who would definately be demanding an explanation. Rosa was almost sure that Draco would manage to tell her everything eventually, so she wanted the upper hand by telling her first. Rosa came to a stairway and took it, deciding she could find some place to stay in one of the palace towers.  
  
Rosa sighed a little and opened the first door she came to, and went inside the room, shutting the door behind her. It appeared to be one of the palace bedrooms, but it was also nicely decorated, obviously by someone with good taste. Rosa collapsed onto the bed and laid back, closing her eyes so she could think better. The sheets on the bed actually felt cool and comforting to Rosa, who was overheated from running so fast.  
  
".....Well, I suppose I really should get a lock..." A chilling voice said, making Rosa sit straight up in bed and nearly scream. when she turned to the side, she saw Cecil, standing there with only his same baggy black pants on from yesterday. His hair was glistening, and water beads were dripping from it onto his what Rosa thought was a finely toned chest. A navy towel was hanging from around his neck. Rosa gulped and opened her mouth to say something, but was too surprised and only made a 'aaack...' noise.  
  
"What are you doing in here?" Cecil asked, and reached up, rubbing his hair with the towel.  
  
"Er, well, I thought this was an empty room..." Rosa trailed off and felt all her bodyheat rise to her face. "Did I erm....startle you?"  
  
"Sort of." Cecil said, and shrugged. "I was taking a bath, and then I heard someone burst in here. I figured it was Kain, but then I realized he isn't even around, so I came out to investigate..."  
  
"I-I-I'm so sorry." Rosa stuttered, and stood up. "I just needed somewhere to go and...well, good-bye!"  
  
"Wait!" Cecil suddenly exclaimed, and grabbed her shoulder to stop her. Rosa looked over at him and blinked. Cecil relaxed his grip and dropped his hand. "What happened?"  
  
"Well..." Rosa went off and explained to Cecil how she had lost her patience and made the mistake of turning Draco into a midget, and how she was going to be in big trouble before she got home, and...  
  
"Whoa, slow down." Cecil said, and shook his head. "You're going beserk Rosa... you've never gotten in trouble before, have you?"  
  
"Of course not!" Rosa cried. "I mean, I've never just lost it like that before...."  
  
"It's ok...it's normal." Cecil explained. "We all get a little upset sometimes...maybe angry...and sometimes stuff happens as a result of it. But when you hold in your emotions, you can expect something like this to happen...trust me, I should know."  
  
"I..." Rosa pressed her lips together in thought before continuing. "I don't really want to go home Cecil... " She looked down and took a deep breath.  
  
"I understand." Cecil said. "You just need some time alone."  
  
"No, I mean, I want to stay here with you." Rosa added seriously. "And I want to go out tonight with you and Kain. You don't mind, do you?"  
  
Cecil blinked and replaced the towel around his neck. He didn't know how to respond to something like this. How often was it that someone requested to have company with him? Other then when Kain wanted to do something, never. Of course, he couldn't turn down Rosa's plea...not that he wanted to anyway... He put on a smile thinking about it, and almost forgot she was in the room.  
  
"Cecil?" Rosa asked.  
  
"Oh...sorry." Cecil said, and rubbed some water off his forehead. "Sure, you can stay with me if you want..."  
  
"Thank you..." Rosa smiled some. "I won't be a bother, I promise, I..."  
  
"Hey, don't worry about it." Cecil said, and waved his hand. "No need for the formalities here. After all, we're not exactly strangers now, are we?"  
  
"No, of course not!" Rosa exclaimed.  
  
"Hmm... I'll just get a shirt on..." Cecil mused to himself and turned away towards a dresser. Rosa sat back down on his bed and smiled to herself. She didn't realize it before, but the sheets carried Cecil's sweet scent. She watched as Cecil reached for a black shirt and pulled it over his head. He then proceeded to roll up the short sleeves until they rested at his shoulders without falling down. He then turned back ro Rosa and gestured for her to get up. "Are you hungry?"  
  
"Actually, I am." Rosa commented, realizing she had not eaten all day.  
  
"Come on, we'll get someting to eat." Cecil said, and Rosa stood up. "Lunch should be served at any moment now."  
  
"Sounds great!" Rosa smiled. "I love it when I get to eat lunch at the palace!" Cecil smiled back and they walked out of his room together and down the stairway to the dining hall.  
  
On the small balcony above the dining hall doors hung the three Baronian flags- One with the kingdom's coat of arms, one for the Dragoons, and one for the military. Cecil pointed them out to Rosa as they entered. However, what neither of them noticed was Kain, who was standing on that balcony and gazing down at them, his blonde hair flopping over his eyes. He let out a soft sigh and stood up straighter, trying to find something else to keep his focus on, anything. Anything but Rosa...  
  
What is Cecil doing? Kain wondered to himself. He couldn't possibly... He shook his head and closed his eyes. Did Cecil take his teasing seriously last night? Did he really... have feelings for Rosa? Kain wondered how this could be, especially since it was Cecil they were talking about here. Cecil, who had never given thought to love in his life, was suddenly like this? It was a little unbelievable...  
  
Or do I only want it to be unbelievable? Kain thought silently. Do I want it to be unbelievable...so that I may have a chance?  
  
Kain suddenly jumped when a giant hand clasped down on his shoulder. He turned around only to see Cid, whom he had been working on the airship with all morning.  
  
"What're you doing up here?" Cid asked. "We came in for lunch, you know!"  
  
"I know, sorry." Kain apoligized quickly.  
  
"Don't apoligize, I was jus' wonderin' where you were." Cid explained. "Cecil and your new friend....Rosa, that's her name, have already sat down."  
  
"Oh really? I must have missed them, I came up here to look for them..." Kain lied. "I'll be down in a minute, ok?"  
  
"Ok, see ya then!" Cid waved, and walked off. Kain let out a short breath and leaned back over the railing, watching Cid decend the stairs and go into the dining hall. He smiled a little to himself.  
  
Kain, you are too paranoid. You must be getting like this since it is just your first week home. Cecil is the same guy you grew up with...and Rosa is your new friend. Nothing is going to change...you're home again! If you give it time...just a little time, you can think about your feelings and then tell Rosa how you feel. After all... it's not like Cecil would care...  
  
With that, a refreshed Kain leaped from the balcony rather than taking the stairs (how slow!), and landed perfectly infront of the dining hall doors and made his entrance, instantly greeted by a chorus of hellos.... 


	7. The Confrontation and The Heroine

Chapter 7: The Confrontation and the Heroine  
  
Rosa let out a soft yawn as she struggled to keep her eyes open and on the clock in Cecil's room. She, Kain, and Cecil were all waiting for the clock to strike midnight so that they could make their descent to the southern forest to begin their hunt. Instead of being worried about getting in trouble at home, Rosa's mind was filled with the day's events. Kain had surprised them at lunch by joining them for the rest of the day, and Cid even gave them all a real ride in the airship, one that lasted for hours, with lots of sight-seeing. She leaned back on Cecil's bed and idly drifted her gaze over to Cecil and Kain, who were going through their belongings to find a map of some sort. Rosa suddenly wondered if she were making a mistake. Surely, her mother was worried sick about her... How selfish she was not to think of that before...all she could think about was herself and being with Cecil!  
  
"Cecil..." Rosa began, thinking that maybe she should just have them walk her home, but when he looked over at her with those perfect blue eyes, she suddenly felt her little Cecil-resistance wall crumble to nothing.  
  
What is wrong with me?? Rosa closed her eyes and brought a hand to her forehead.  
  
"Rosa?" Cecil asked. "Did you say my name?"  
  
"Uhh... I have to go to the powder room!" Rosa exclaimed, and Cecil raised his eyebrows.  
  
"You don't know where it is?" Cecil asked, with a look on his face that clearly read: "What a loser!" Rosa cringed at her stupidity.  
  
"Actually, I was hoping I could use yours..." She muttered in reply.  
  
"That room isn't suited for girls." Kain joked, and Cecil turned red. "Let me take you down the hall and..."  
  
"Oh no thanks, I'll find it myself." Rosa jumped up. "Thanks anyway, Kain!" Kain and Cecil both looked at her as she left the room and broke into a run down the hallway.  
  
"Oh man..." Rosa mumured to herself. She found the power room at the end of the hall, and went inside, shutting the door behind her. The candles in the room were very dim, so Rosa could barely see when she looked into the mirror. She pushed her hair out of her eyes and sighed, reaching up to touch the image in the mirror.  
  
"Look at yourself..." Rosa trailed off. "You stupid girl... your cheeks are bright red...your eyes are wide...still a little pink from being upset before..." Rosa shook her head. "And you're not even one tenth the beauty your mother is..." Rosa turned her back on her reflection and looked up at the ceiling. "How did I think that Cecil would like a girl like me? I've never had a boyfriend before...I...." Rosa clapped her hand over her mouth and blinked. Did she want Cecil to like her? Of course she did...Because she liked him too...  
  
"Rosa?" Someone asked from outside the door. Rosa jumped and opened the door, only to see Cecil himself.  
  
"Are you done?" Cecil asked. "We're gonna go."  
  
"Yes!" Rosa replied. Cecil held up her bow and quiver of arrows, which she took, and slung on her back. Kain was waiting not too far away, a long spear in his hand. And Cecil had his sword as well....  
  
The three quietly slipped out of Baron Castle through a back entrance that Cecil and Kain knew about, and as soon as they had left the city limits, Cecil and Kain emerged into conversation.  
  
"That was too easy!" Kain smiled.  
  
"Well, I'm surprised that the back entrance wasn't being guarded." Cecil replied thoughtfully. "How odd of King Baron to let down on castle security like that, especially since we have the airships now."  
  
"Eh, what he does is his concern, right?" Kain asked, and looked to Rosa. Rosa blinked and shrugged. She didn't quite know what to think about anything reguarding Baron.  
  
"So, after this summer, you two are going to military school?" Rosa asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Yep." Cecil replied. "Then, before we know it, we'll really be apart of Baron's army!"  
  
"Why do you two want to fight so badly?" Rosa asked worriedly. "I don't understand..."  
  
"I want to be a Dragoon like my father." Kain explained. "When he was my age, he was already training hard because he chose this path, just like his father did. It's sort of a family ritual, I suppose."  
  
"Why isn't your father here to help you...?" Rosa asked.  
  
"He died...in battle a long time ago...When I was three." Kain replied, a touch of sadness in his voice. "I never quite knew him but...King Baron said he did. That's why he adopted me after my dad had died. As soon as I was old enough to understand about my father's life and death as a Dragoon, I knew that I wanted to follow the same path. I would have it no other way."  
  
"What of your mother though?" Rosa pressed on.  
  
"She died giving birth to me." Kain said. "So I didn't know her either. King Baron said she was a lovely woman though."  
  
"I'm sorry..." Rosa said. "I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable asking all that."  
  
"Nah..." Kain shook his head. "Not many people really care enough to ask, you know? So thanks."  
  
"Oh...well you're welcome." Rosa said, blushing slightly. "But what about you Cecil? Is it because you don't want to be without your friend?"  
  
"No." Cecil said cooly. "It's not really like that at all."  
  
"..." Rosa shook her head and looked back out towards the direction they were traveling. However, Cecil did not stop speaking as she thought he would have.  
  
"I was adopted by the king when I was two, around the same time Kain was." Cecil said. "I never knew my mom and dad though. I can't remember them at all. And it seems like no one else knew who they were either, which just makes things for me more difficult. Anyway, as I grew up, I was exposed to the life of a soldier more than anything else. It inspired me greatly...and the soldiers didn't seem to have such complicated lives. When Baron asked me to attempt to master the Dark Sword because of my abilities that had developed from training, I couldn't say no. After all, I owed him for my life and did want to gain more respect for my name. Maybe...if someone out there who knew my parents heard of me, Cecil, the Dark Knight of Baron, they would come to me and tell me about them. I would do anything to know something..." Cecil looked up at the sky and took in a deep breath from saying so much so fast.  
  
".....Oh Cecil..." Rosa sighed, and crossed her arms over her chest. "So that's why you both want to fight. It makes sense now." But really, to her, some of it still didn't. It was almost like their lives were being driven by those of the past, long forgotten. And that was where she couldn't see the sense of it all. New generations born unto the planet only to be cursed with carrying out the same tasks of those who had died before them carrying those tasks out as well...  
  
"Well why wouldn't it make sense anyway?" Cecil demanded, and Rosa widened her eyes at his sudden tone change, most definately not wanting to explain her reasoning to him. Her hesitation to truly express herself was a result of her mother's coaching of lady-like etiquette all her life, and it was something she had not managed to get over yet, especially now, as it was not any normal person she was talking to--It was Cecil, whose name held more significance to Rosa at that moment then she cared to admit or was able to explain.  
  
"I don't know." Rosa said finally, feeling very uncomfortable. "I suppose I would have to be in your shoes to fully comprehend it, that's all." Cecil gave her a look made from pure sarcasm and let out a bitter laugh.  
  
"Yeah, and you would enjoy that."  
  
Rosa took in a sharp breath and cursed herself for her attempt at holding any conversation with him. He may of been sweet back when he offered to take care of her for the day, but it was like he was back to his normal self again, with the changing of day to night. If it wasn't for her fear of being hunted down and eaten by some fiendish beast, Rosa would have made her trek home alone at that very moment.  
  
However, the mood seemed to lift considerably when the group made it to the small woods south of Baron. Loud callings of the flying beast called the Eagle (not the same type of Eagle most are familiar with, mind you) were echoing against the night sky from their nests high in the trees. Sting Rats scampered from sight into the brush, and Rosa knew from her studying of local monsters from White Magic Class that they were regrouping so that they could hide from their enemies and make a sneak attack. This made Rosa very nervous indeed.  
  
"Check that out!" Kain exclaimed and pointed as a small tribe of wicked little creatures called Imps scampered about, jumping down from trees and popping out from dark hiding places. They were all either weilding small knives or searching the ground for sticks, making nasty little hissing noises and squeaky war calls. They were determined to block the group from proceeding any further in the forest, for some reason or another.  
  
"They're going to attack!" Cecil said, and unsheathed his sword. It was a beautifully dark blade that shimmered in the little moonlight they had- The blade was small and the color of a very dark gray, but looked as sleek and deadly as any other weapon Rosa had ever laid eyes on.  
  
"The Dark Sword..." She murmured to herself, almost entranced by it. Her father too, had once held a blade like that. However, she was interrupted by the sound of Kain making a flying leap in the air with his spear in hand, and crashing down upon an Imp, devastating it before it could even raise it's knife. With a little thump, it hit the ground and a few moments later, disappeared in a flash of purple light.  
  
"Ta-da!" Kain grinned as he leaped back to Rosa's side and winked. "I've been practicing, you know."  
  
"I can tell!" Rosa exclaimed. "I don't know anyone who can jump like that!"  
  
"Um, excuse me, but I'm not dispatching this entire group myself." Cecil said lamely as he drove his sword through the stomach of another Imp and kicked the stunned fiend away, his foot forcing it back so that the blade withdrew itself from the body.  
  
"Wonder what they're hiding?" Kain asked excitedly as he swung his spear and took down a third Imp, as if it were nothing.  
  
"Something good, I bet!" Cecil grinned. "Come on Rosa, this is what we came here for!" Rosa gulped and raised her bow and arrow, preparing to aim.  
  
"...Alrighty!" Rosa called, and released her arrow, letting it sail through the air straight into the heart of an Imp in the back of the tribe. It let out an ear-piercing screech and fell to the forest floor, defeated instantly. Rosa grinned and jumped in the air. "The first thing I have managed to hit all week!" Cecil looked back at her admiringly, making her turn red, not that you could tell in the darkness.  
  
"I'm impressed..." He trailed off, and suddenly ducked as Kain leaped over him, driving his spear into an Imp sneaking up on Cecil.  
  
"Booya!" Kain shouted, making Rosa giggle at his sillyness. Even Cecil was laughing and patting Kain on the back as a way of saying thanks for 'saving' him. With all three commrades working together, the tribe of Imps was decimated in under 2 minutes, and their path was cleared. Cecil and Kain rushed ahead, with Rosa right on their heals. Now in the spirit of things, Rosa didn't even flinch when she saw a Sting Rat come flying at her from it's hiding place in a tall bush. Her reflexes as quick as lightening, she pulled out another arrow from the quiver on her back and took aim, releasing her deadly shot right between the eyes of the monster. It cried out and fell to the ground from mid-air, fading into nothingness a moment later.  
  
I feel...powerful... Rosa thought, feeling proud of her abilities for the first time. She also couldn't help but get excited over how impressed Kain and Cecil were. Rosa decided that her choice to join Cecil and Kain in their practice hunting had not been such a poor idea after all!  
  
After a few more short battles with Imps, who were seemingly running around everywhere, Cecil, Kain, and Rosa reached a small clearing within the forest where the moonlight was particullarly strong, and illuminated everything within their sight. There, lying on the ground, half-buried in grass and dirt, was a glittering something. Cecil kneeled down and picked it up, and let it dangle from his hands.  
  
"What's that?" Kain asked, but Rosa knew.  
  
"It's a crystal tiara." Rosa said, and took it from Cecil for a moment to examen it. It was a very beautiful tiara, the kind that rested around your forehead. It was made out of shining crystal that sparkled in the moonlight, and the clasp that was to be hidden under the wearer's hair was even finely crafted with silver that looked a little dull, but could be polished up in no time. It looked as if it were crafted exclusively for one person in the world by a very talented jeweler, but somehow, it had ended up here, a bit dirty and wet. Rosa handed it back to Cecil, who pocketed it.  
  
"This will sell really well back in Baron!" Cecil smiled, and Kain nodded approvingly.  
  
"But I wonder how it got in the woods?" Rosa questioned. "I mean, I think that the type of person who would wear something as expensive as that would not be walking about in the woods."  
  
"Yeah, and they don't even make this kind of stuff in Baron." Kain added. "It sort of looks like a Toroian design."  
  
"Makes it all the more valuable." Cecil said, and stood up, brushing off his knees. "I wasn't expecting to get good hunting practice and treasure! You think we should go home now?"  
  
"I am a bit sleepy." Rosa said, and yawned right then as if to add more effect to her words.  
  
"Are you gonna go home or stay at the palace?" Cecil asked, and Rosa thought about it for the moment.  
  
"I had best go home." Rosa finally replied. "I imagine my mother is worried sick."  
  
"Alright, lets head back then." Kain said. The group was just about to turn around and walk back on the path they took to the wood's clearing when a wicked screech ripped through the entire forest, making Rosa cry out and cover her ears.  
  
"What the hell?!" Kain cried, and looked about, trying to figure out what had made the noise.  
  
"Everyone, get down!" Cecil shouted, and before Rosa knew what was happening, he had pulled her down with him to the cold ground, keeping his arm around her so that she couldn't get up. Rosa felt a shiver run through her spine as a chilling wind suddenly blew over their backsides along with another loud screech. As soon as Cecil let up on her, Rosa sat up and looked towards the sky, where she saw the most horrible thing she could imagine hovering right above them- A pale green winged monster with boney, small, gray wings and a pair of long, skinny arms that each contained three massive claws at each end. However, the most frightening thing, no doubt, was the creature's face, which contained a big mouth full of grinning yellow teeth and one giant, watery eyeball that took up the whole top half of it's head, peering down at them.  
  
"Ahhhhh!" Kain cried, and nearly fell back down to the ground again after he had just stood up and recovered from throwing himself down from before.  
  
"It's a Float Eye!" Cecil said, and cringed as the Float Eye opened it's mouth and screamed loudly, making any of the Eagle monsters that were in the trees flutter off to a safer and quieter place.  
  
"What is a Float Eye doing here?" Rosa moaned. "Don't they live in the Northern Region???"  
  
"I bet we just stole it's treasure that it bummed off one of it's victims up north!" Kain cried, and held up his spear. "We won't be able to run from it! If it is in a chase, it will use sound waves to paralyze the prey, and then we'll all be in trouble!"  
  
"So let us fight!" Cecil exclaimed, and once again, withdrew the Dark Sword. As he poised himself into an attack position, Kain wasted no time and took a flying leap towards the creature, spear pointed and ready.  
  
"Kain, watch out!" Rosa cried, but it was too late. Kain did not notice that the monster had been eyeing Kain in particular, and it suddenly let out a screech attack that was so powerful, the soundwaves could actually be seen rippling through the air as they struck Kain. Kain cried out in pain and flew backwards until he smashed into a tree and slowly sunk to the ground, unconscious.  
  
"Kain!!!" Rosa cried, and ran to his side, gently taking him into her arms. "Oh God, oh God, what do I do!?"  
  
"Hurry up and use the spell of Life!" Cecil shouted to her. "It should wake him up!"  
  
"Life?!" Rosa cried, and felt tears come to her eyes. "I--I don't know that spell!!!"  
  
"WHAT?!" Cecil's voice got high mid-what as the Float Eye swooped down to attack, but missed as Cecil jumped out of the way. "What kind of White Wizard are you?!" Rosa bit her lower lip and tried to keep herself from heaving any sobs. The tenseness of the situation, Kain's critical need of healing, and Cecil's anger had formed into a bitter club that seemed to crush whatever majestic spirit she might of had left that was keeping her from bursting into tears like she really wanted. However, she knew that she could never forgive herself if she just sat there and cried while Cecil finished off the monster by himself.  
  
"Hold on Kain!" Rosa whispered, and slowly got to her feet, her knees feeling weak and wobbly like those of a newborn colt. Cecil staggered back from the Float Eye, which was relentlessly throwing itself at him, and nearly tripped and fell backwards. At the last minute, Rosa managed to dash to his side and catch him before he hit the ground.  
  
"Are you ok?" Rosa asked worriedly. "Go hide! I'll strike it down!"  
  
"No way!" Cecil protested. It was then that Rosa noticed he had a long cut going down the side of his face, dripping with crimson blood. "You'll never be able to aim quick enough!"  
  
"You're hurt though..." Rosa shook her head and proceeded to drag Cecil away to safetly by Kain. However, he stopped her by reaching out to grab her arm, squeazing tightly. Rosa let out a scream and let go, and Cecil scrambled back to his feet, holding his blade out in front of him, one finger poised right at the tip of the blade, and his other hand holding the hilt.  
  
"Rosa, cast Cure after I attack!" Cecil directed. "I'm going to release a Dark attack that drains my power so that I can strike the Float Eye critically!"  
  
"Wait, Cecil, STOP!" Rosa cried, remembering she couldn't cast Cure either. But it was too late. Cecil closed his eyes and muttered a few uncomprehendable words under his breath. The blade of his sword began to emit a dark blue color, and Cecil's body soon follwed suit. The energy began to run down from his arms, legs, and head into the blade. A moment later, the energy began to crackle with charged energy, almost as if it were dark electricity, and flew from the blade in multiple short waves, striking at the Float Eye all at once. The monster let out a pained cry and fell to the ground, bouncing up a bit after it struck. Cecil moaned and collapsed to his knees, his hand grasping at his chest over his heart.  
  
"Hurry...!" He cried hoarsely. But before Rosa could even explain that she didn't know how to cure Cecil, the Float Eye growled and slowly began to hover back off the ground. Cecil's attack had only stunned it! It opened it's mouth, prepared to use a soundwave attack that would surely finish Cecil off in his weakened state.  
  
"Nooooo!" Rosa cried. Deciding that she indeed did not have enough time to load her bow and aim it, she instead ran towards the Float Eye and took a mightly leap, easily landing on it since it was not too high off the ground. Cecil gasped as Rosa beat at the Float Eye's left wing with her fist, hoping to cause it to break. Her intentions came through, and the tender wing snapped under her fist's brutal beating upon it. She could feel the Float Eye's teeth grazing at her leg, but she had no time to worry about that. It fell to the ground again with another thump, whimpering in pain over it's shattered wing. Rosa remained on top of the Float Eye and quickly reached back to her quiver, grabbing an arrow. She raised it high into the air, ready to plunge it down into the massive eye of the Float Eye when it suddenly got it's wits back and clasped it's jaws right over her right leg. Rosa screamed in agonizing pain as the jaws of the monster released her leg and chomped down again,  
creating a whole new set of teeth holes and a whole new wave of pain. Rosa could feel the wetness of the blood drip all down her leg and into the boot on her right foot. A wave of weakness and sickness came over her as she struggled to keep her vision straight and her head up. All of a sudden, she wanted to close her eyes and sleep so very badly...  
  
"ROSA!" Cecil screamed, and struggled to crawl towards her and the Float Eye. Rosa's slowly closing eyes shot open again when she heard Cecil call her name. She suddenly remembered where she was and what she needed to do. Weakly raising her arrow again, she let out a small cry of disgust and plunged it into the squirming Float Eye's eye. The Float Eye howled in pain and with it's last ounce of strength, threw Rosa off of it before dissolving into nothingness. Rosa screamed and hit the ground face first into a patch of cool grass. However, she could now feel warm blood dripping down from her head and onto her cheek. It was almost...soothing. Focusing on it made Rosa forget all about the throbbing pains in her leg. She smiled softly to herself, thinking only of how she had saved Cecil and Kain as she closed her eyes and let the warm darkness wrap itself around her broken body. 


	8. The Last Kiss and the Wrong Intention

***Warning*** This chapter gets somewhat intense with the mild theme of unconsented adult acitvities...Nothing TOO graphic, as you'll see, (I only upped the rating to be safe, because, really, the theme in general does not belong in PG-13.) but I figured I would warm you anyway, since the story has been sort of bubble-gumish up to this point. Well, enough of this...  
  
Chapter 8: The Last Kiss and the Wrong Intention  
  
"Flying...I'm flying..." Rosa smiled to herself as she felt the wind whip through her long, sun-kissed hair. She opened her closed eyes and looked below her, where the town of Baron was merely a tiny cluster of rooftops and trees. "Imagine, they said there was no way we could do it, but here I am! I discovered the White Magic spell of Flight and was the first to ever master it! I guess I didn't turn out as bad as everyone said I would! Hee hee!" Rosa smiled more and looked up into the sky above her, which had considerably darkened, with the exception of the beautiful full moon.  
  
"Oh..." Rosa reached up and tried to touch it, but suddenly, she felt her body get heavy, and a moment later, she was falling!  
  
"AHHHH!" Rosa cried, closing her eyes. "Cecil, HELP ME!!!"  
  
"Rosa!"  
  
"Hmmm..."  
  
"Rosa! Are you awake?"  
  
"Cecil...?" Rosa moaned and opened her eyes slowly. She wasn't in the sky, or on the ground even--she was in a bed, in Baron Castle. The room was faintly lit up with a few candles, but other then that, it was completely dark. The curtains had been drawn over the large windows in the room as well. Rosa turned her head and saw Cecil sitting in a chair by her bedside, his hands clasped together in his lap. He looked tired and had dark circles under his eyes. Reality quickly struck Rosa, waking her up fully. The flying had been a dream...but what had occured before in the forest had been a living nightmare. Somehow though, she had survived! Everything was too blurry to remember correctly.  
  
"Cecil, you're ok!" Rosa choked, from trying to talk so fast. "I'm so glad..."  
  
"Of course I'm alright." Cecil said firmly. "However, Rosa, because of....your idiotic behavior before..." Rosa blinked, feeling as if a weight had been dropped onto her heart, and Cecil sighed. "Because of you...Kain and I got off without being hurt too badly, and you didn't..." Rosa let out a breath of relief and tried to sit up, when a shooting pain ran through her back and leg.  
  
"AH!" Rosa cried, and Cecil reached over to her, quickly propping up her pillows so that she could fall back on them. Rosa closed her eyes and tried to hold back a sob. Everything hurt! It was an excruciating pain she had never felt before in her life.  
  
"You really shouldn't be moving..." Cecil shook his head. "You got pretty badly torn up...your leg is fractured in a couple places and you have bruises all over your body from being thrown by the Float Eye. Best you relax for a while..."  
  
"Oh...I forgot about all that..." Rosa groaned. "But you said you and Kain were alright??"  
  
"Yeah, just a few scratches for the both of us." Cecil explained. "Kain had some Phoenix Down applied to him, and he's awake now. He can't move very well, but he should be fine by tomorrow."  
  
"Thank the Gods." Rosa sighed happily. "I must apoligize to him later for not being able to help out sooner."  
  
"Ehh..." Cecil looked down at his hands and sighed. "About that...sorry I yelled at you before...but I was scared, and I guess my fear came out in my words...you know, when I insulted you about your magic abilities..." Rosa blinked, and suddenly that came back to her too, in a most painful reminiscence.  
  
"Oh..." Rosa looked away to face the wall and took in a sharp breath.  
  
"I really am sorry." Cecil tried. "I mean...I've got no right....uhh..." He stammered and clasped a hand to his forehead. "It's...uh...not something I would say under normal circumstances..."  
  
"...." Rosa winced and rested a hand over her heart, which was pounding harder than a chocobo digging for treasure in the ground. She wondered how long this apoligy would last before he insulted her again. Cecil looked up from his lap and narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Rosa, look at me!" He cried. Finally Rosa did so, turning slowly and not bothering to push the long strands of hair out of her face that had fallen from her ponytail. She looked up to Cecil with watery eyes and red cheeks.  
  
"You say you're sorry now, but I don't feel you mean it." Rosa said flatly. "I'm not a silly common girl you can just woo with promises that are only temporarily true. I know you haven't known me for that long, but I can assure you that I am not the fool you take me for....although I sort of feel like one right now." Cecil blinked and looked pained.  
  
"Rosa, I don't think you're a fool..." He trailed off for a moment and locked eyes with her. "....The only thing you said that was true was the part about you being not common...I knew that from the moment our hands touched...and our eyes met..." Rosa widened her eyes as Cecil reached over and gently took her hand in his. She felt as if her fingertips were about to ignite into flame. Why was Cecil saying all of this? Surely it was not just to get her to forgive him.  
  
"C-Cecil..." Rosa stuttered, trying to catch her breath. "What are you...?"  
  
"I've never felt like this before." Cecil admitted, almost in a whisper. "I've never wanted...to do this..." He leaned down and much to Rosa's surprise, gently pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss. Rosa felt her cheeks go scarlet and her tears seemingly vanish as she slowly reached up with her hand and caressed Cecil's cheek, working her fingers up and through his fine hair, like she had imagined doing ever since she had first seen it.  
  
Oh my Gods, my first kiss! Rosa's thoughts screamed at her delightedly. I wonder if I'm doing it right!? Ack, this is soooooo great! Can't believe it took me 14 years to get this far though...that's kinda sad...  
  
Oh, shut up and just keep kissing!!! The other side of her brain demanded, and Rosa happily obliged, closing her eyes as she parted her lips slightly to deepen the kiss. Cecil closed his eyes as well and applied a little more pressure to her lips while nuzzling his head against her hand. Just when Rosa thought she would explode from happiness and do something stupid like laugh, there was a knock at the bedroom door. Cecil and Rosa both gasped, pulling away right as the door opened, and there appeared Kain.  
  
"Kain!" Cecil nearly shouted, and Rosa turned away.  
  
"Hi guys." Kain smiled.  
  
Did he see us...? Rosa gulped. Doesn't sound like it...But jeeze, what just happened here...?  
  
"Hi Kain." Rosa mumbled to the wall.  
  
"Good to see you're up." Kain said happily. "How are you feeling, Rosa?"  
  
"Tired." Rosa replied, which wasn't a lie at all. From the tone of Kain's voice, she decided that he had indeed not seen a thing, much to her relief. She realized that she wouldn't be able to explain anything to him, not that she could explain it to herself.  
  
"She just woke up a little while ago." Cecil explained, back to his gruff self.  
  
"I see." Kain smiled. "Cecil stayed by your side all night Rosa...he wouldn't even get treated in another room by the doctor...Stripped right down in here and kept his eyes on you the whole time, ha ha ha!"  
  
"G-G-G-Goodness." Rosa stuttered, turning red at that strangely pleasing thought. Cecil groaned and slapped his forehead.  
  
"Kain..."  
  
"Sorry." Kain laughed again and then turned serious. "By the way Rosa, the guards managed to get ahold of your mom..."  
  
"Oh Lord!" Rosa cried, snapping out of her embarassment. "She must be so angry with me! Oh, and we must all be in trouble for sneaking out of the palace...Oh no oh no oh no oh no!" She begin to panic and her breathing became more eratic. Just the thought of the look on her mother's face when she finally got home was enough to make her want to take Cecil's sword and finish herself off now!!  
  
"Calm down Rosa!" Cecil cried. "It's not a big deal...Your mom is just glad you're ok..."  
  
"And we didn't even get in trouble." Kain added. "Baigan said he would keep quiet for us..."  
  
"You serious?" Rosa let out a sigh of relief, but Cecil looked uncomfortable. She couldn't imagine why! Rosa gave him a look, and he shrugged.  
  
"Yeah....well...at least you won't get in trouble by Baron." Cecil finally said, and stood up. "I have...to get a drink of water...Kain, shouldn't you try to get some rest? We will still have to rise early tomorrow...as if nothing happened..." Rosa suddenly felt confused. Why did Cecil sound so upset over the idea of them not being in trouble?  
  
"You're right Cecil." Kain said, and raised a hand in Rosa's direction. "I'll see you tomorrow morning..."  
  
"Kain!" Rosa exclaimed. "What exactly did Baigan tell you guys...?"  
  
"He didn't say anything to me." Kain said confusedly. "Just said he would keep quiet...Don't worry so much Rosa...we'll take care of you." Rosa felt her breath get caught in her throat as Kain said that...there was so much sincerity in his voice, so much caring... Cecil turned his back to both Rosa and Kain, leaving the room.  
  
Oh Rosa, you're reading into things too much. She thought. It's because you need to go to sleep...  
  
"Good night Kain." Rosa said, and slowly began to get herself comfortable enough to fall alseep. Kain left, closing the door softly behind him. Rosa sighed and looked up at the ceiling, wishing it would somehow spell out to her what was going on. She could still feel the slight pressure Cecil's lips had left on her own, making her face flush over. How calm and serene she had felt in those few seconds that they had been together...as if they were one being, totally in harmony.  
  
It seemed like hours instead of minutes until Cecil returned to the bedroom, a goblet of water in his hand.  
  
"Still awake?" Cecil questioned.  
  
"Er, yes..." Rosa nodded.  
  
"Just wanted to make sure." Cecil said quickly, and sat back down at his chair by the bed.  
  
"Um, Cecil..." Rosa began, but he cut her off.  
  
"You should really get some sleep..." Cecil sighed, and looked to the wall. "Dawn will be upon us before we know it..."  
  
"What about you?" Rosa asked, giving up on asking anything about the kiss. She just knew he would try to avoid it...  
  
"I'll sleep here..." Rosa could feel his gaze on her. "If you don't mind."  
  
"I don't." Rosa replied, and closed her eyes. "Good night Cecil."  
  
"......Night Rosa...sweet dreams..."  
  
Sweet dreams about you! Rosa thought to herself, and tried not to smile too much as she let sleep seep into her senses and soon put her at rest. Surely the dawning of a new day would bring the answers to her questions... More then ever, Rosa was looking forward to tomorrow.  
  
**********  
  
The next day, Cecil rose early, his eyes opening to the sound of some robins who had nested outside the window of the bedroom he and Rosa were in. He moaned and reached up, rubbing his tired eyes furiously. He knew that this was going to be one of the longest days in his life, being that he had had only a few hours of sleep. He looked down at Rosa, who was sleeping peacefully, watching the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed in and out...in and out...  
  
"Maybe it wasn't meant to be." Cecil sighed to himself, and stood up, walking to the window, and parting the curtains slightly to see outside. The sky was a brilliant combination of different pink and golden hues as the sun rose over the horizion. When he looked down, he could see a few soldiers mulling about at the entrance of the palace, laughing and doing impressions of each other. However, one soldier that was down there was just standing by idly, keeping his eyes on all of the activity around him as his scarlet cape gently flapped in the morning breeze.  
  
"Ugh...he's already waiting for me." Cecil moaned. "Persistant bastard...I guess he was serious..." He looked back to Rosa, and bit his lip. He didn't want to, but...  
  
"Well well well, looks like the Dark Knight got himself into a bit of a pickle!"  
  
"Shut up Baigan! Please, just let us into the palace, this girl needs care immediately, and Kain is hurt as well..."  
  
"Hmm...she's that white wizard that's been hanging around here lately...She's quite exquisite...What did you do to her?"  
  
"Not a damn thing! There was an accident in the forest..."  
  
"Aha, I see. Well, I suppose that an accident is forgivable...but I suppose that the King does not know about this."  
  
"No, and I'd like to keep it that way."  
  
"Is that so? Well, as Captain of the Guards, that is something I cannot permit..."  
  
"Come on Baigan! What the hell is your problem?"  
  
"Well, its just that I don't remember being in your debt for anything recently."  
  
"I can help you out sometime, if that's what you mean..."  
  
"Oh really? How about...you introduce me to your little friend there then?"  
  
"Huh, Rosa?"  
  
"But of course...as I said before, she is exquisite...quite beautiful, in a childish way...but none the less, I cannot help but be interested..."  
  
"Forget it Baigan!"  
  
"What? It's not like she's engaged or even courting anyone. I hope you are not objecting for your own sake...because it would never happen anyway."  
  
"....What....are you talking about Baigan?"  
  
"You and Rosa...it would never happen, so I don't see why you have anything to object about."  
  
"....Why wouldn't it happen?"  
  
"Because...you are training to become a Dark Knight...the lone weilder of the Dark Sword. You are frigid enough as it already is...but any sensible girl wouldn't keep a true interest in you for too long. Everyone knows what happens to a Dark Knight when he tries to battle true evil..."  
  
"SHUT UP BAIGAN!"  
  
"....Well excuse me. Now, what were you saying about wanting to be let in in secret? I'll even wake a few nurses to help out and keep them quiet as well as a small bonus..."  
  
"....."  
  
"Well?"  
  
"......Fine...let us in...tomorrow...first thing in the morning, I'll bring Rosa to you...but you had better not pull any crap Baigan...cause I'll know if you do..."  
  
"I'll be a perfect gentleman. Be sure not to keep me waiting..."  
  
"Damn!" Cecil moaned, and slammed his fist on the window sill, making the window frame rattle. "But really...if it was to keep Rosa out of trouble...then I guess I don't mind as much...even if it means giving up on...everything."  
  
"Cecil...are you awake?" Rosa mumbled, and opened her eyes. "I hope I'm not just hearing voices in my head..."  
  
"Rosa!" Cecil blinked, and looked over to her. "Sorry if I woke you, but...well, there is something we need to do."  
  
"Huh?" Rosa sat up and pushed her hair out of her eyes. "I...I don't know if I can do anything Cecil...my leg...it really hurts..."  
  
"I know Rosa...but as long as it is set in a cast, you'll be ok...Besides, I'll help you out."  
  
"Um, ok." Rosa blinked. "Whatever you say Cecil..."  
  
"Well, up you go!" Cecil said, and with that, gently lifed Rosa up and rested her over his shoulder, supporting her with one arm while using the other to grab a pair of crutches near the doorway.  
  
"Ack!" Rosa cried, her leg stuck out in an odd way for fear of causing it pain.  
  
"Just relax." Cecil assured gently, and Rosa slowly lowered her leg as she held onto Cecil tightly.  
  
"This is ridiculous..." Rosa tried not to laugh as Cecil carried her out of the room and downstairs. "So, are we like, trying to get some early breakfast? And then you're going to teach me how to use these crutches, right???" Cecil sighed and looked down.  
  
"Not exactly...there's someone that would like to meet you..."  
  
"Meet me?" Rosa blinked. Cecil didn't say anymore until they had reached the doorway of the palace. He then gently set her down on her good leg and supported her with his arm until he had manged to hand her the crutches. Rosa shakily took them and put them into place under her arms, feeling ridiculous.  
  
"Cecil...?" Rosa began, but he cut her off.  
  
"It's Baigan..." Cecil sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "He uh...is apparently really interested in you Rosa...and I guess he wants to be introduced to you and such..."  
  
"Interested in me?!" Rosa cried. "But Cecil...I don't think I..."  
  
"I don't know much about it..." Cecil mumbled. "But it can't hurt talking to him Rosa..."  
  
"That may be so Cecil, but I don't think I'm interested back, reguardless." Rosa protested. She was so confused...Wasn't it just last night that Cecil had said those things to her...and now he was acting as if nothing had happened, AND he was trying to set her up with Baigan! Baigan was handsome enough, and already quite powerful...but Rosa just couldn't push Cecil out of her mind like that. Something was wrong.  
  
"Come on Rosa." Cecil urged. "I don't want Baigan to get impatient..."  
  
"NO!" Rosa cried, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "What about last night, Cecil?! What about the kiss!? Answer me....!!!!"  
  
Cecil blinked and sighed, looking away.  
  
"Sorry Rosa...but...it was...sort of like...well...you know, when you do something just to see what things could have been like in the future...do you know what I mean?"  
  
"....What?!" Rosa shook her head. "Cecil, hold on one minute..." This was just not right, she was sure of it! The way Cecil wavered with his words proved it so.  
  
"It was the first and the last kiss." Cecil said finally. "And...uhh..." Rosa turned red with anger, and would have slapped Cecil right then and there if she had not needed both hands to keep steady on those damn crutches. Cecil pulled open one of the large doors for Rosa to get through.  
  
"Forget you, Cecil!" Rosa cried to mask her confusion, but as she tried to make her dramatic exit through the door, she lost her balance and tumbled over in a heap of legs and crutches onto the floor, landing on her side.  
  
"Owww.....damnit..." Rosa cursed under her breath angirly. Cecil reached down to help her up, but she swatted at his hand bitterly.  
  
"Is there a problem?" A cool voice asked, and when Rosa looked up, she could see Baigan, the Captain of the Baronian Guard standing over her.  
  
"Ahh....no." Rosa said embarassedly. She was afraid to answer with anything else, because Baigan intimidated her greatly.  
  
"Let me help you." Baigan said sweetly, and reached down, grabbing Rosa and hoisting her back to her feet before she could protest.  
  
"Cecil, your friend is a little clumsy, eh?" Baigan laughed, and Rosa felt herself go scarlet in anger.  
  
"Baigan, this is Rosa, Rosa, Baigan." Cecil muttered between clenched teeth. Rosa blinked and tried to read Cecil's expression. He looked so mad...  
  
"Hello Rosa." Baigan smirked. "It's nice to finally get to meet you..."  
  
"Oh, well, uh...thanks." Rosa blinked.  
  
"I was wondering if I might have the honor of sharing lunch with you today." Baigan said. "It would be in the palace of course, seeing as you are not too fit to go anywhere right now..." Rosa sighed and averted her gaze from both Cecil's and Baigan's. She had been taught by her mother and by every other lady that she had ever known that it was very rude to turn down any sort of a proposal to go out made by a man, even if you did not particularly want to go through with it."  
  
"I went out with lots of men, but I still adored your father for a long time." Rosa remembered hearing her mother say at one time. Her father had laughed at that comment, and Rosa remembered laughing too, just because she could. It was all so silly and gay back then, to joke about matters like that when you were little, because you thought you would never have to deal with any of that grown-up stuff. It all seemed so trivial.  
  
"....Well I'd like that." Rosa finally managed to choke out. Baigan at that point, slipped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a tight squeeze, making her cry out softly because her body still hurt from last night. Baigan didn't seem to notice, but Cecil did, and let out a slight growl.  
  
"Well Cecil, I suppose you've got work to get to." Baigan smiled, and waved his hand as if to shoo Cecil away. Rosa looked up at him, and he looked back to her, a pathetic look in his eyes.  
  
Oh Cecil, please lie and tell Baigan that you have to take me home...say anything... Rosa prayed to herself. We have to talk...I just know you wouldn't push me off on Baigan because he wanted you to!  
  
"Good bye, Rosa, Baigan." Cecil said, and turned to walk away.  
  
Nooooo! Rosa's thoughts screamed. Cecil...!  
  
"Well now, I thought it would be nice if we had a little drink and talk a bit in the courtyard before we have lunch." Baigan said, looking to Rosa. His brown eyes had taken a darker glint to them somehow.  
  
"Lunch...isn't for quite a while." Rosa replied dumbly.  
  
"I know, that's why we can relax before it does." Baigan smiled more, and Rosa could feel his hand that had been resting on her shoulder slide down her arm and slip around her waist, making her squirm uncomfortably.  
  
"Very well." Rosa gulped, and Baigan began to pull her away from the door.  
  
"Wait!" Rosa cried as she struggled to stay on her good foot. "My crutches!"  
  
"Don't worry, I'll send someone to get them for you later." Baigan said. "I am having our meal brought to us outside, so we don't need to go anywhere for quite a while."  
  
"Oh...good thinking." Rosa said sadly, and put a false smile on her face. Baigan smiled back, and although Rosa wasn't quite sure, she thought he lightly patted her behind before they proceeded on.  
  
The gate to the courtyard was locked when they arrived, and Baigan pulled out a shining silver key to open it for them. Rosa hopped inside and leaned back against the white stone wall that fenced them in while Baigan closed the gate and locked it up again, sticking the key in his pocket. Rosa looked out and saw a silky blanket lying in the grass of the courtyard with what she recognized as a bottle of Fabulian wine, which was very expensive because of it's high taste and cost to import into Baron, and two goblets as well.  
  
"Wine, so early in the morning?" Rosa questioned idly.  
  
"Anytime you can have Fabulian wine, you should take advantage of it, no?" Baigan asked slyly, and Rosa just nodded to get him off her case about it. She decided right then that she would not be having much of it, even during lunch. Baigan led her over to the blanket and she slowly sat herself down, stretching out her bandaged leg so that is stuck out straight ahead and curling her other leg so that the bottom of her good foot touched the inside of her thigh. Rosa didn't realize until now that she was still in her leotard from archery, making her suddenly feel less clothed then she desired to be at that particular moment.  
  
"It is certainly hot today." Baigan said as he popped the cork of the bottle with his thumb and began to pour the drinks. Rosa groaned, for when he said that, she realized the heat herself and felt the urge to drink something. As soon as Baigan handed her her goblet, she took it and sipped at her drink as quickly and elegantly as she could manage. The taste was sweet and the bubbles of the wine seemed to do a little dance on her tongue, making her laugh to herself.  
  
"I guess you like it!" Baigan exclaimed, and Rosa nodded, setting the goblet down, empty. He slowly sipped at his and let out a contended sigh.  
  
"I have a confession." Baigan said, and Rosa looked to him.  
  
"What might that be?" She asked.  
  
"Heh, well, I found myself quite jealous of your little friend Cecil when he started parading around with you on his arm." Baigan smirked, and Rosa frowned a little.  
  
"Cecil wasn't parading around with me on his arm." Rosa said softly. "We have only met not too long ago, and..."  
  
"Oh, so you're not involved with him at all then?" Baigan cut in. Rosa shook her head.  
  
"Well, no...But why do you want to know so badly?"  
  
"Just making sure that I am not treading on taken property." Baigan smirked, and suddenly leaned in, pressing his lips to Rosa's. Rosa gasped and let out a cry of protest against Baigan's lips.  
  
"Stop!" Rosa cried, and pushed Baigan back, wiping her lips immediately. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Your beauty has simply captivated me!" Baigan exclaimed. "Come on Rosa, I just know you're not the prudish type who keeps away from anyone's advances." Rosa turned red and scooted further away disgustedly.  
  
"I am not....prudish." Rosa said. "I just don't think I could welcome that sort of advance from someone I barely know!"  
  
"Well then, lets get to know each other better." Baigan said, his voice edgy, his eyes narrowed. Rosa blinked and shook her head.  
  
"No...not like that..." Her voice wavered, for she knew what was coming next. Rosa struggled to pull herself up on her good foot, but Baigan simply reached out and grabbed her fractured leg, making her howl in pain as she fell back to the blanket on her hands and knees.  
  
"Let me go!" Rosa screamed. "Somebody help!"  
  
"No one is going to bother us for quite a while." Baigan said cooly, and dragged Rosa closer to him by her leg.  
  
"OOOOOOUCH!" Rosa screamed as the pain ripped through her fractured limb. Baigan laughed happily and flipped her over, throwing her down onto her back and pinning her down with his arms as he leaned over her and smirked.  
  
"Quite the big mouth you have there." He teased. "I bet I could put it to good use."  
  
"Let me go!!!!!" Rosa cried again, shaking her head frantically. She tried kicking at him with her strong leg, but he responded to that by crushing it down with his knee, making Rosa moan in pain and lean back to recooperate. Baigan took this oportunity to lean in, pressing his body against hers as he kissed her again, this time using his tongue to probe through her lips to the insides of her mouth. Rosa moaned and tried everything she could to pull away, but this time she was quite trapped, there was no where for her to go. So, she did the only thing she could possibly think of--  
  
"Damnit!" Baigan cried into Rosa's mouth as she bit down on his tongue. He pulled away and brought a hand to his lips, wiping off the blood that was oozing from the corner of his mouth. Rosa spat the remains of his blood and saliva in her mouth out onto the blanket, making Baigan laugh.  
  
"Don't like it?" He asked innocently. "I think you just have to get used to it...Relax Rosa dear...I've been with many girls, and I've been told I'm quite good. I think you'll enjoy yourself. And since you're quite possibly the most beautiful girl I've been with, I'm going to make an extra effort to please you."  
  
"Never!" Rosa cried. "I could never be pleased by a wretch like you! I HATE YOU! CECIL, HELP!!!" Baigan laughed more, which seemed to get creepier with each time he did it.  
  
"I'm afraid that Cecil did this for you." Baigan said softly. "He promised to introduce your lovely self to me last night when he arrived at the palace with you and your deadbeat friend Kain. I almost didn't let you in without reporting you to the king, but when my eyes fell upon you--I was captivated. You looked so vulnerable...so innocent and strong at the same time...I had to get to know you better...so Cecil agreed...in exchange for your not getting in trouble..." Rosa gasped and felt tears spring to her eyes.  
  
Oh Cecil...I knew it! I knew you didn't want to push me away...you did this so that I wouldn't get in any more trouble...  
  
"But Cecil would have never alowed you to force yourself on me!" Rosa snapped. "If he had known anything like this would happen, he would have never agreed! NEVER!"  
  
"You keep telling yourself that." Baigan sneered as he trailed his finger down Rosa's chin and neck. "Althought I'd rather you not think of him while we are together. It's so rude." He continued trailing his finger down, and Rosa squirmed helplessly as he ran it over the small amount of cleavage she had. Baigan smirked at this and leaned down, kissing at her chest. Rosa screamed louder and closed her eyes, not wanting to see any of it. She could feel the blood from his tongue dripping down in her leotard, and even worse, the soft hit of the summer air hitting her chest as Baigan released one of her arms for a moment to tug down the top of her leotard. Rosa screamed in protest and tried pushing him off of her with her free arm, but it was hopeless. His build was way too large compared to her small frame for her to do anything worth wasting her energy. Rosa gave up and felt her tears overpour from her eyes and down her cheeks as Baigan tugged the leotard down to her waist, glowering in pure delight. Rosa made the feeble attempt to cover herself with her free arm, but Baigan took care of that by pulling her arm away and gripping it tightly in his hand.  
  
"Open your eyes Rosa." He said, in an almost normal tone, as if none of this were going on.  
  
"No." Rosa snapped definately, between clenched teeth.  
  
"But you really are quite beautiful." Baigan cooed, and after giving her arm a tight squeeze, released it and ran a callused hand over her right breast, making her cringe. He saw this and shook his head, pressing back down against her again to lick the tears off her cheeks. The blood from his tongue mingled with the tears in his mouth, making him shiver in delight. "Not just beautiful...but quite delicious..." Rosa moaned in protest and took a deep breath.  
  
"CECIL, HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLP!" Rosa screamed, directly into Baigan's ear. Baigan screamed and pulled back, covering his ear with the hand that had been on Rosa's body. All he could hear around him was echoing rings.  
  
"....Dirty bitch!" He growled, and shook his head. "I'm not going to be nice to you anymore. You've earned what's coming!" With that, he pressed his knee down on Rosa's fractured leg, making her howl out in pain to distract her as he took both hands and struggled to tug down her leotard the rest of the way down her torso.  
  
Oh no.... Rosa thought. I can't let this go any further...if I don't stop him now, I'm not going to be able to save myself...Please....if the Gods up there are listening...GIVE ME STRENGTH!  
  
"This should be a treat." Baigan growled to himself, although he was having a hard time with the leotard thanks to Rosa's squirming. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and tried to concentrate while she bought herself time. What could she do...what could she do...  
  
Oh Gods, I've got it! Rosa thought, and pressed her lips together. Please, let me cast this spell, just once!!!  
  
"HOLD!" Rosa screamed. Baigan blinked and looked up at her disgustedly.  
  
"Hold what?" He growled, but at that moment, rainbow beams of light shot down from the sky, and began to encircle themselves around Baigan, spinning so fast that they became a blur. They dissolved into nothing a few moments later, leaving Baigan totally paralyzed and frozen, sitting up on Rosa's hips.  
  
"YES!" Rosa cried happily, and with that, she sat up some herself after much struggling and shoved Baigan's body off of her and into the grass. However, at that moment, there came a banging from the gate.  
  
"ROSA, ARE YOU IN THERE?!" Rosa could hear Cecil screaming from the other side.  
  
"Oh, Cecil!" Rosa cried. "Hold on!" With that, she quickly pulled up her leotard in a haphazard manner that was just enough to leave her un- exposed, and reached down in Baigan's pocket to get the gate key. Although her leg hurt tremendously, Rosa managed to stand up and hop on her good leg all the way to the gate, which exhausted her energy quickly. When she reached the gate, she shoved the key in the lock with a shaking hand, and suddenly collapsed to the ground as soon as she heard it click open. Cecil pushed the gate open and gasped, seeing Rosa gasping for breath on the ground, her hair totally dishelveled, small streaks of blood on her cheek and chest, and her clothes wrinkled and dirty.  
  
"Rosa, what happened?!" Cecil cried and fell to his knees so that he could be at her height.  
  
"....Baigan...he tried to..." Rosa gasped and huffed, resting her hand over her chest to try to control her air intake. "He's....paralyzed for the moment...huff....I..."  
  
"Ok, ok, I get it." Cecil said worriedly, and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm just glad you're ok...you are ok, right?!"  
  
"Yes." Rosa nodded. "He didn't get far enough....to do any damage...."  
  
"Damnit, damnit, damnit!" Cecil cursed, and pressed Rosa closer to his body. "I should have known...I should have, but..."  
  
"Cecil....please....I am alright." Rosa tried to explain, and rested her head on his shoulder. "You don't think...I can fend for myself by now?"  
  
"That's not even funny!" Cecil cried. "I heard you screaming, and my blood just ran cold..."  
  
"....But Baigan told me what you two talked about last night." Rosa said, changing the subject, and looked up to stare into Cecil's eyes. "....You...wanted to protect me, so you did as he requested..."  
  
"Not with this in mind!" Cecil protested. "Please Rosa, you have to forgive me..."  
  
"But I'm not mad!" Rosa cried, and felt her eyes begin to sting with tears again. "I couldn't believe that you wanted to push me away...I was SO relieved when I found out the truth..."  
  
"Of course I didn't want to push you away..." Cecil shook his head. "But I figured that after you had met Baigan...you would forget all about me...that's one of the reasons why I kissed you last night...I wanted to see if you cared at all...cared like I wanted you to care...more then something friendly..."  
  
"....More then something friendly?" Rosa repeated. "....Oh Cecil...I..."  
  
"I know, you probably don't want anything to have to do with me." Cecil said dejectedly. "Our paths in life...are completely different...and not only that, but we're young too..."  
  
"Be quiet." Rosa snapped, and Cecil blinked. "Don't whimper so, Cecil..."  
  
"I'm, sorry....but..."  
  
With that, Rosa leaned in and gently kissed at Cecil's lips, reaching up with her hand to caress his cheek. He widened his eyes and kissed back, resting his hands on her hips as she pulled away and smiled some.  
  
"We may be different...and young..." Rosa shook her head and smiled more. "But none the less, I love you....Cecil. I have since the day we met..."  
  
"....I love you too, Rosa." Cecil smiled back, and embraced her tightly. At that moment, Baigan let out a pained moan and began to stir, making Cecil's attentions turn towards him.  
  
"We can talk later." Cecil said in a low tone, and stood up. "Right now, I think it's our turn to do a little negotiating..."  
  
  
  
  
  
To be continued... 


	9. The Trial and the Sentence

Chapter 9: The Trial and the Sentence  
  
"...And if you EVER pull something like that again young lady, I will make you quit your archery and white magic lessons, AND I will ground you for the rest of your LIFE!"  
  
"Yes Mother, of course..." Rosa trailed off as she sipped at her hot chocolate. She had been listening to her mother scream at her for nearly an hour straight, ever since she had been taken back home by Kain. (Cecil had requested Kain do it since he was going to be very busy with blackmailing Baigan.)  
  
"But do you understand that you could have been hurt even worse than you are now, possibly KILLED?!" Alexia cried, leaning over Rosa's body in her bed so that they were face to face. "All for a silly hunt in the woods?! Rosa, I don't know what's become of you, to do something like that!" Tears had begun to form in her eyes, and Rosa let out a little sigh as she reached up and gently flicked a falling tear from her mother's cheek.  
  
"I know, and I'm very sorry for it...It was irresponsible of me, and very stupid...But just know that I didn't do it to try to hurt you Mother...alright? I would never do anything like that on purpose."  
  
"Oh Rosa...I'm just scared because you're all I have left..." Alexia sniffled a little and gently wrapped her arms around her daughter. "If I lost you... I wouldn't know what to do..."  
  
"...I understand..." Rosa sniffled a little herself and hugged her mother back, resting her chin on her shoulder. "But I promise to be more wise with my decisions from now on."  
  
I have to be more wise... Rosa thought silently to herself. If I want to continue seeing Cecil... I wonder if Lance has gotten ahold of Mother to tell her what I did to him the other day...Hopefully Cecil will take care of that for me.  
  
"That's good, dear." Alexia stood up and took Rosa's now-empty hot chocolate mug from her hand. "Let me get you some more of this, and you relax, ok? I let the King know that you wouldn't be coming to lessons for a few weeks, alright?"  
  
"Wha?!" Rosa blinked worriedly. "What exactly did you tell him?!"  
  
"I just told him you had gotten hurt in a small accident." Alexia said confusedly. "I didn't think it would make you look too good to announce that you had been crawling about in the woods hunting monsters...I mean, come on Rosa, he probably wouldn't even believe me." Rosa let out a happy sigh of relief and was suddenly very greatful for her mother being the way she was. As long as the King had no way of linking her accident to Cecil and Kain, she would be happy.  
  
"Alright, that's fine." Rosa smiled. "Thanks."  
  
"I'll be back in a little while." Alexia said, and with that, left Rosa's room, shutting the door behind her quietly. Rosa leaned back against her barrage of pillows and sighed as she reached up to pull out her dirty hair ribbon, letting the remains of her hair that had been held up tumble to her shoulders.  
  
"I won't be able to go anywhere for weeks, Mother said..." Rosa trailed off. "How will I get to see Cecil? He probably forgot where I lived, so he won't be able to come and see me...Not only that, but I'm not so sure of what Mother might say about him." Rosa felt her face blush a little as she remembered the kisses they had shared, making her bruised and broken body feel as if it were light as air and warm with desire. She wanted more of that...more of Cecil's lips and hands on her body. The feeling she got from it was indescribable, and insatiable.  
  
"What a wonderful summer it's turning out to be..." Rosa smiled to herself as she leaned back more and slowly slid her eyes shut. "I never thought...that I could ever feel like this..."  
  
**********  
  
June became a lonely month as the days and weeks past without Rosa seeing Cecil once. Her leg had begun to heal considerably thanks to the help of her mother's white magic, but Rosa was still not permitted to waunder anywhere too far incase she hurt herself again. Rosa was greatful that she could at least leave her bed, she needed the exercise badly as she was becoming a little soft around the middle from eating and sleeping for days on end. She tried practicing her magic since she had nothing better to do, but alas, she did not master one new spell.  
  
"This is getting depressing." Rosa noted to herself dryly as another Cure spell went up from her fingers in a tiny spark and disappeared. "Makes me wish I had friends right now to reassure me and lie to make me feel better." She pulled herself up from the floor of her room and brushed off her white nightgown, grabbing ahold of her crutches to hobble into the parlor, and growling a little at her long hair that was flopping in her eyes. Her mother was sitting there, reading a book quietly to herself, and didn't look up from it until Rosa had cleared her throat. Alexia blinked and set the book down in her lap, a small smile on her face from the particullarly romantic passage she had just read.  
  
"Yes dear?" She asked, and Rosa reached up to finger one of the long tendrils that trailed down past her mid-arm.  
  
"I think I need a haircut." Rosa said, not too thrilled at the prospect of having hair so long you could drown in it. Although Alexia just loved it, she just knew that Rosa would end up trying to cut it off herself and get disasterous results, so it was best to keep her happy and cut it for her.  
  
"Oh, alright dear." Alexia sighed a little and set the book aside. "Let me try to find my cutting shears...in the mean time, will you go outside and see if the milk has been delivered yet? It's been late for the past few days, although I am sure the one day I do not check for it at a normal time will be the day it comes early and goes sour in the sun."  
  
"Sure thing." Rosa said, and hobbled to the doorway, throwing it open and blinking considerably at the bright sun for that day, making her eyes sting. When she looked down at the walkway, she saw no signs of any milk bottles, however, she did spot someone walking down the road approaching her house, whom was hopefully the milk man. Rosa leaned her crutches against the side of her house and sat down in the cool grass to wait, idly plucking out a thick blade to whistle on. However, as the figure got closer and closer, she realized that he was far too short to be their normal milkman, and besides that, he was only carrying one bottle in his hand. Rosa blinked and tried to look past the sun to get a better glimpse of who it was, but she had no luck.  
  
"Well damn!" Rosa cursed to herself, and reached back to grab her crutches as she pulled herself out of the grass. However, she suddenly stopped at the sound of her name, and when she looked up, saw that the figure was now at the end of her walkway, staring right at her. Rosa gasped in surprise and waved happily.  
  
"Cecil!!!"  
  
"Rosa!" Cecil smiled happily and ran up her walkway to the part of the yard Rosa had been sitting in, and threw his arms around her before he could stop himself. Rosa hugged back and pulled away a little, resting her hands on his hips to keep her balance on her good foot.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Rosa asked. "Not that I'm complaining or anything..."  
  
"Well, I didn't come here on purpose." Cecil admitted. "I was actually just taking a walk around town, and I got a drink while I was out." He held up the bottle in his hand, which was filled with a cherry- red liquid. "I guess I got lucky to find you! Where on Earth have you been?!"  
  
"Trapped in my house." Rosa sighed a little. "Mother has been keeping me inside and will continue to do so until I can walk on my own again without struggling. I'm sorry, I've had no way to tell you."  
  
"It's alright, I'm sorry for not coming over, I was just worried about your Mom not wanting me over or something. I didn't know if she knew about Kain and I being with you that night..."  
  
"No, she has no idea, greatfully." Rosa smiled. "But it was good you kept away, just in case. I haven't told her about you yet."  
  
"Alright." Cecil smiled more. "Want a sip of this?" He adjusted the straw in his bottle so that it pointed towards Rosa's lips, and she nodded thirstily as she leaned in and gently sucked on the tip of the straw, smiling brightly at the sweet liquid that filled her mouth. It tasted like a rich cherry soda. She swallowed and pulled back a little, licking her lips.  
  
"That's good!" Rosa exclaimed. "I wish I had some of my own..."  
  
"I can bring you some tonight, if you want." Cecil smiled a little deviously, and Rosa blinked.  
  
"Oh Cecil, haven't you had enough of sneaking out for the summer?" Rosa asked worriedly.  
  
"This is a little different, don't you think?" Cecil replied. "Besides...I really miss you...I'll come to you, you won't have to do anything. I just really want to talk to you again...and stuff..." Cecil began to get flustered and blushed a little, and Rosa smiled at this, deciding that there was nothing wrong with two people wanting to visit for a little while. Besides, she knew that if she turned him down, she would be regretting it until the time she could see him again on her own, which could be forever from now.  
  
"Alright, alright." Rosa agreed. "You can come over tonight around 11. My mother will definately be asleep by then, and I'll meet you outside, right here. This is the place farthest from her bedroom window."  
  
"I can't wait." Cecil smiled a little, and leaned in, kissing Rosa softly on the lips. Rosa smiled more and kissed back, reaching up to stroke Cecil's hair when...  
  
"Rosa! Did you get the milk?"  
  
"Ack, it's my Mother!" Rosa cried against Cecil's lips, and with a hard shove, pushed Cecil backwards into a pile of tall shrubbery. Cecil cried out in protest as he crashed in the bushes and fell backwards, being completely hidden from view when the door opened and Alexia popped her head out, shears in hand.  
  
"The milk hasn't come yet." Rosa said quickly, and Alexia sighed, putting her hand on her hip.  
  
"Oh well...come on inside then, if you want that haircut." With that she turned and shut the door, much to Rosa's relief. Cecil slowly popped his head out of the bushes and glared at Rosa as he reached up to pull a twig out of his hair. Rosa laughed nervously and tried to cover her mouth to keep her laughter muffled.  
  
"Sorry Cecil." She apoligized.  
  
"I didn't know girls could push so hard." Cecil admitted with a smile, and Rosa was relieved to see that he wasn't mad. He jumped out of the bushes and ran over to her, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her once more before pulling away.  
  
"Until tonight." He said, and with that, bent down to grab his soda and took off running down the walkway and out of Rosa's sight. Rosa felt her face glow with happiness as she watched him go and subconciously reached back to grab her crutches, taking in a sharp breath.  
  
The thrill of their pre-meditated nightime meeting was beginning to set itself in her heart, making it beat faster and harder in anticipation... 


	10. The Meeting and the Promise

Author's Note: Please keep in mind while reading this chapter that in Baron, the Serpent Road (the path that links Baron and Mysidia together) has not been brought into existance yet. I think knowing this will help everyone who reads this chapter appreciate a portion of it a little more. ^^  
  
  
  
Chapter 10: The Meeting and the Promise  
  
"Tomorrow is the first day in July." Alexia noted that night over supper. "My goodness, the summer is just flying by this year!" Rosa nodded a little as she took a bite of her chicken breast and chewed it slowly. What her mother had really meant was: "Tomorrow is the two month anniversary of your father's death."  
  
"Rosa..." Alexia suddenly said, and Rosa looked up from her plate, blinking.  
  
"What is it mother?" Rosa asked, and Alexia smiled a little, folding her hands and resting her chin on them as she propped her elbows on the table.  
  
"Have you done any better with your magic?" Alexia questioned, and Rosa raised her eyebrows, not expecting a question like this to come up.  
  
"Erm...well...uhh..." Rosa squirmed in her seat. "Don't forget Mother, I haven't been at lessons forever, and..."  
  
"I know honey, but have you gotten anything on your own?" Alexia pressed, and Rosa sighed, shaking her head.  
  
"Not really..."  
  
"Hmm, that's what I thought." Alexia replied, and sighed a little. "Rosa...the truth is...I am beginning to get a little concerned over your magic powers. They arn't developing as nicely as one would expect from a young lady such as yourself. We know you have the power, but...something in there is not clicking. You know what I mean?"  
  
"Yes, Mother." Rosa said, her tone dropping considerably. "But I'm trying my best...please don't be mad at me."  
  
"I'm not mad!" Alexia cried. "No Rosa, I could never be mad at you for such a thing! But I do want you to become the very best you can be, and I'm afraid that maybe the wizards in Baron arn't helping you reach that." Rosa blinked and clutched onto her water glass rather suddenly.  
  
"What do you mean...?"  
  
"I was speaking with our neighbors today," Alexia said. "And word has it, in Mysidia, the village of magic, there was a pair of twins born there that have already developed a considerable magic backround, and they are now only one year old!! There is an elder in the village who apparently teaches the principles of both White and Black Magic, and is very good at it. He was also the teacher of the Great Sage Tellah, you know."  
  
"I've heard of him in class." Rosa nodded, and took a sip of her drink. "But what do these twins and this elder have to do with me?"  
  
"Well, I was thinking perhaps you would like to go abroad to Mysidia for a year or maybe more." Alexia suggested. "I am sure it would do your magic ability wonders..."  
  
"Go abroad?!" Rosa cried, widening her eyes and nearly dropping her glass. "For a year OR MAYBE MORE?!" Alexia blinked.  
  
"What's wrong with that?"  
  
"Uhh...I..." Rosa bit her lip and leaned back in her chair, struggling to calm the frenzied beating of her heart. How could she tell her mother that she didn't want to leave Baron, now that Cecil was apart of her life? The time for the truth was now. If she held back, she would be digging herself one hell of a hole.  
  
"There...um...are people here that I would like to be close to..." Rosa began, and Alexia sighed, closing her eyes for a moment and then reopening them.  
  
"Rosa...we all have friends, but sometimes we need to make small sacrifices for ourselves every once in a while." Alexia explained. "Besides, you will see them again someday! It is not like anyone around here is going anywhere anytime soon."  
  
"But there's this guy..." Rosa tried again, but this just made things worse.  
  
"Boys are not as important as your own well being Rosa!" Alexia cried. "You're young, you still have a while yet before you need to settle down...Listen, right now, it is yourself that is more important than anything else. This trip will be good for you dear. The truth is, it may be the only chance you have to explore lands outside of Baron. Honestly."  
  
"Ahhh...but....!" Rosa began to struggle for words, and she got the sinking feeling that she was going to end up losing this battle.  
  
"I really, REALLY think this would be a good idea." Alexia pressed on. "I am insisting you do this darling. It's for your own good. Don't you want to come back to Baron and surprise everyone who had doubt in you? Prove them wrong?"  
  
"...." Rosa tried to hold back a sob, and looked back down at the table.  
  
"There is a ship departing from Baron's harbor near the end of the week that is going to Mysidia." Alexia added. "I bought you a ticket. But since I know you will have some good-byes to say, I will start letting you go into town again on that leg if you promise you will be careful."  
  
".....The end...of the week....?" Rosa just couldn't hold it in anymore, and began to sob softly, shaking her head as her newly-cut hair swayed back and forth in her ponytail. How was she going to tell Cecil this? Now that they could finally be together again, they were only going to be broken apart, and for a year, at that! Rosa knew that her mother just wanted the best for her, and that she really had no idea what she was making Rosa part with, but Rosa knew she would not be able to explain to her mother without getting a repeat of the boy lecture. But the worst part was, Rosa really had no desire to hurt her mother by refusing the trip to Mysidia. It was what her mother wanted, and Rosa would only end up regretting it if she disobeyed her wishes. She knew that in the end, if it were between Cecil or her mother, Rosa would have to go with the latter...no matter what...  
  
"Rosa, please don't cry...I don't want you to be upset..." Alexia trailed off, and Rosa looked up, putting on a small fake smile as she reached up and rubbed her eyes.  
  
"Oh Mother...it's just that I am going to miss you so much..." Rosa said softly, and Alexia blinked, putting on a small smile of her own as she reached across the table and clasped Rosa's hand in her own.  
  
"I'll miss you too dear!" Alexia cried, tears starting to form in her own eyes. "But everyday, I'll pray for your well being, and I'll always be thinking of you..."  
  
"I'll be praying for you too." Rosa sniffled, and began to stand up, pushing her chair back with her good leg. "But I'm actually not very hungry anymore...do you mind if I retire for the night?"  
  
"No, of course not dear, I think I will retire myself." Alexia said, and stood up, taking their dishes into her hands. "You just go lie down and try to get some sleep. You're going to have a busy week ahead of you."  
  
"Alright." Rosa nodded, and with that, retreated to her room, deserting her crutches back in the dining area. She never wanted to see those stupid things again, as far as she was concerned. Rosa shut her door behind her quietly and walked over to her pure white vanity, where she collapsed in the chair set infront of it and gazed at her reddened reflection in the mirror. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment to try to un-blur her sight thanks to her tears, and when she opened them again, everything became much more clear. She reached up and pulled the soft blue ribbon out of her hair, letting it fall to her shoulders as she began to run her brush through it. After that task was done, she gently pumped a tear-drop size of cream into her hands from a bottle that her mother had bought her a while back, and began to massage it underneath her eyes to make them look less puffy. Rosa had never touched the stuff until now, but she was a little pleasently surprised to see that it actually worked as her mother said it would when she gave it to her.  
  
"I can't believe I am trying to...pretty myself up for a guy." Rosa chuckled to herself, and smiled more as she pulled open a drawer and tried to find a pretty pair of earrings to wear. "Not that I'm...trying to impress Cecil or anything..." After finding the earings, she gently fastened them on and stood up from the vanity, walking over to her closet to find something to wear. There were so many fancy dresses that were burried within, but Rosa dug in further and found a simple soft red dress that only went down to her knees, and also pulled out a cream-colored cloak to wear with it just incase it was chilly.  
  
"Perfect." Rosa smiled to herself, and tossed the clothing on her bed.  
  
**********  
  
That night, when the grandfather clock in the parlor struck the hour of 11, Rosa slipped out of her room, all dressed up and wide eyes as she quickly searched around to make sure her mother was no where in sight. Letting out a soft sigh of relief, Rosa slipped over to the door and pulled on her boots, and then made her exit outside. Sure enough, it was cold, just as she predicted, and immediately tugged her hood from her cloak up and over her head as she slipped over to the small garden where she and Cecil had discussed their meeting that afternoon. The moon tonight was full and shining, pouring it's silver light all over Baron and giving everything a subtle glow.  
  
"Please don't be late..." Rosa whispered to herself, and nearly screamed when a hand clasped onto her shoulder and exclaimed: "You're the one who is late!"  
  
"Ah--ack!" Rosa cried, and whirled around, only to see Cecil standing there and laughing as he dropped his gloved hand from her shoulder and grinned. Rosa let out a deep breath and put her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes a little.  
  
"Cecil, you scared me!"  
  
"Sorry." Cecil said, and laughed again. "I was hiding in the bushes!"  
  
"I guess so." Rosa smiled, and reached up to pull down her hood. "But I'm glad you're here." Cecil smiled back and reached up himself, running his fingers through her hair.  
  
"You got it cut."  
  
"I hate long hair!" Rosa chuckled, and with that, pulled Cecil down with her as she sat down. He promptly sat and slipped closer to her, resting his head on her shoulder.  
  
"But it's still long." Cecil pointed out. "Only a little past your shoulders."  
  
"Shorter than it was." Rosa corrected, and smiled as she rested her head against his. "Thanks for coming..."  
  
"I wanted to." Cecil said, and reached down in his own black cloak, pulling out a sealed bottle of cherry pop. "Here it is, like I promised!" Rosa smiled more and took it into her hands, kissing Cecil on the top of the head.  
  
"Thank you...I actually forgot about this, hee hee." Rosa confessed, and set the bottle down beside her for now. However, she suddenly remembered what she needed to tell Cecil, and her face fell a little. Cecil looked up at her after a few moments and frowned himself, lifting his head from her shoulder all the way to peer into her face.  
  
"Rosa...something wrong...?" Rosa sighed a little and looked back at Cecil as she folded her hands in her lap.  
  
"....Yes...actually...there is..." Rosa bit her lip and shook her head. "Cecil...tonight...over dinner, I found out something rather disturbing."  
  
"What, what is it?!" Cecil cried, taking Rosa's hands into his. "Come on, tell me!"  
  
"I'm getting to it!" Rosa cried softly, and felt her eyes begin to water again as she stared right into Cecil's crystal blue orbs. "....My mother...she's become concerned over my lack of magic abilities lately, to be blunt about it."  
  
"....Ok..." Cecil trailed off, and Rosa continued, her voice wavering a bit.  
  
"....Cecil...she wants me to go to Mysidia to study magic abroad...at the end of the week. I'll be leaving with the ship that is departing for Mysidia, for she has already bought me a ticket. But um...I'll also be gone for a year...maybe even more than that." Cecil blinked and opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out. His throat made a little choking noise as Rosa bowed her head and struggled to keep her tears in.  
  
".....What...?" He finally managed to whisper, and Rosa sniffled, just nodding her head to confirm her words. Cecil looked away from her and Rosa looked up at him, pressing her lips together as the tears rolled down her cheeks.  
  
"I'm really sorry...if I had any control of the situation...then...then I wouldn't go!" Rosa cried, squeezing his hand tightly. "But Cecil...I understand if you don't...want to be with me anymore...I..." Suddenly Cecil turned back around and silenced Rosa by pressing his lips to hers a little roughly, causing her to lose her balance and tumble backwards in the flowers. Rosa let out a little cry of surprise as Cecil toppled over with her and lifted himself up, breaking the kiss as he stared down at her.  
  
"Rosa...don't be foolish..." Cecil whispered. "Just because you're going away...doesn't mean that I don't want to be with you..."  
  
"....Cecil..." Rosa trailed off and reached up, pushing her hair back from her eyes. "....A year is..."  
  
"....Is a long time." Cecil finished for her, and sighed a little. "I know. But...still...I don't want to just let you go like this...not after everything that has happened..."  
  
"Well I don't want to go at all!" Rosa suddenly cried, and threw her arms around Cecil, pulling his body down closer against hers. "I don't want to leave Baron...I don't want to leave you! It sounds silly...but even though we've only known each other for a short time...I..."  
  
"Rosa, please...calm down..." Cecil said softly as he ran his fingers through her hair. "You're going to wake someone up..."  
  
"Cecil...." Rosa sobbed and kissed at his lips softly. "I'll miss you so much..."  
  
"I'll miss you too, Rosa..." Cecil trailed off, and kissed back, gently caressing at her cheek. "But...we have one more week, don't we?" He kissed again, and Rosa nodded a little as she sniffled.  
  
"Yeah..." She smiled a little and nuzzled against Cecil's hand. "...I'm sorry...you must think that I am being a baby over this..."  
  
"No, I don't." Cecil said, and gently kissed at her tears, letting the tip of his tongue lift them from her fair skin. "I understand how you feel...And that's why I am going to try to make it better for you." Rosa blinked.  
  
"What are you going to do?"  
  
"We can spend everyday together, if you'd like, before you have to leave." Cecil offered. "If I have to sneak out everytime, I will...I'll bring you whatever you want, and..."  
  
"Oh Cecil..." Rosa smiled more and gently pressed a finger to his lips. "That's very kind of you...but Mother also said that I could go outside again...! So we won't have to go to such extremes to see each other." Cecil smiled back at this and touched the tip of his nose to hers. "But I still would like to see you..."  
  
"Whatever you want." Cecil said. "I'll do whatever you want."  
  
"...Thank you..." Rosa sighed, and gently cupped his face in her hands. "But...what are we going to do when..."  
  
"Lets just not think about it now." Cecil suggested gently, and brushed his lips over hers. "We have all week..."  
  
"...You're right..." Rosa trailed off, and pressed her lips to his, sliding her eyes shut as she relaxed back against the flowers and wrapped her arms around Cecil's neck. He leaned in a little and gently parted her lips with his tongue, entering her mouth slowly as she pressed up against his body a little in surprise. Electric currents seemed to replace Rosa's nerves as she hesitently ran her tongue over Cecil's, feeling as if her heart were about to stop beating. This felt so radically different from when Baigan had forced himself on her. There was no fear, no struggling, no pain-- it had all been replaced with desire, yearning, and a soft warm feeling all throughout her body.  
  
So different, and so good.  
  
"Cecil..." Rosa murmured against his lips, and gently ran her hands up and down his back, pressing her body up even closer against his as he continued to kiss her deeply. She didn't know how she would be able to part from him in just one week...It was only 7 days. Even if she did see him everyday until then...  
  
It will be ok... Rosa tried to tell herself in her head. Everything will be ok...everything will work out for the best...  
  
Cecil doesn't want to leave me...and we'll still be together, even though we'll be far away...  
  
  
  
  
  
But... I wish that...this...right now...would last forever...  
  
  
  
  
  
End of Part One  
  
To be continued! 


End file.
